Trump is the head of a pyramid scheme of sorts. Yes, he's extorting $millions from MAGA, but that's not what I'm thinking about right now.

His pyramid scheme is one fueled by rage. https://twitter.com/desertdave2012/status/1348885387641409541

He feeds off the rage that he incites. Trump collects rage from national GOP politicians, donors, operatives, and top pundits, who collect it from local GOP pols, small-timer pundits like Conservatwitter, AAT, and Qanon...

Who collect it from everyone from hate groups and paramilitary cosplayers to FB- and FNC-addicted Boomers & Silents, frenzied College Republicans who surf 8kun and Parler, and everyone in between, all of whom are further incited to rage by Trump.

This is why Trump & his inner circle police the GOP so tightly. As the leader of his pyramid scheme of rage which he pretty effortlessly integrated with the party, he demands his payments from the people below him. If they don't pay, they are cast out.

We're not just seeing evidence of this provided by folks who have left office to avoid having to play his game or lost because they wouldn't, such as Flake and Curbelo, or who were in the position to resist Trump from office, such as Romney and Hogan.

Even Kelly Loeffler was noted to have commented on the pressure Trump exerts on party members. Someone who, at least in public, had helped him in his efforts.