'He started going off the deep end': former Trump supporters confess why they bailed

Back in June, cult deprogrammer Rick Alan Ross told Fusion that, while supporters of Donald Trump may not technically be part of a cult, they exhibited tendencies of members of a “cult-like following.”

And just like in a cult, trying to talk sense and logic into diehard Trump fans can sometimes seem futile. The Republican primary was rife with supporters who flatly refused to believe anything bad about him.

But in some cases, people do see the light on their own.

In a lengthy thread on Reddit, former Trump supporters shared their experiences of what made them finally break away from the Republican presidential nominee. Their answers are fascinating.

As we would assume, one of the main things that drove people to Trump is that he was the anti-politician.

But then, he started pushing the envelope too far.

And as time went on, things got worse.

His inability to talk serious policy on important things like climate change was a big dealbreaker for some who really wanted to like the guy.

Floating conspiracy theories to back up his views didn’t help much, either.

Picking Indiana Governor Mike Pence as a running mate was a no-go for others.

“He speaks his mind, but there’s nothing good going on in there.” Burn!

Even for potential hardcore supporters, the fight with Khizr Khan was too much.

Not following through on an offer to debate Bernie Sanders also sent signals to some that he wouldn’t stick to his commitments. (Here is that link.)

Ted Cruz even had an impact after his Republican National Committee speech, in which he refused to endorse Trump.

Then there was the NATO controversy.

Or the fact that he might recklessly drag the U.S. into another war.

There are many more “final straw” moments, too.

Of course, the one person that the entire Republican political landscape is worried might get fed up by one of these scandals is House Speaker Paul Ryan, whose (seemingly reluctant) support is potentially one of the only things holding the party together and preventing even more defections.

But even Ryan told The Associated Press that there might be a line that Trump could cross that would make him withdrawal his support. “Where that line is, I don’t know,” he said.

In the Campaign of Infinite Controversies, there will be more opportunities. That much, at least, we know for sure.

Daniel Rivero is a producer/reporter for Fusion who focuses on police and justice issues. He also skateboards, does a bunch of arts related things on his off time, and likes Cuban coffee.