Eight years after Sen. Bob Corker warned the GOP had become "cultish" in its devotion to Donald Trump, several Republican officials continue to voice extravagant praise for the former president. Rep. Troy Nehls called Trump "the best thing to happen in this country in 100 years" and claimed he was "born a very special baby," while others have likened Trump to near-messianic or God-adjacent status. Critics say these comments underscore Corker’s original concern and reflect an enduring, personality-centered loyalty within parts of the party.
‘Born a Very Special Baby’: GOP Rhetoric For Trump Grows Increasingly Cult-Like
Rep. Troy Nehls speaks to reporters upon arrival to a House Republican Conference meeting in Washington on Nov. 14, 2023.(Anna Rose Layden / Getty Images)
Exactly eight years after Sen. Bob Corker warned that the Republican Party had grown “almost cultish” in its devotion to Donald Trump, several GOP lawmakers continue to use flamboyant and near-messianic praise for the former president. Those remarks, critics say, illustrate how Corker’s concern has persisted — and in some corners, intensified.
When Corker offered his warning near the end of his Senate career, Donald Trump Jr. responded on Fox News by reframing the label as a compliment, saying that if the party resembled a cult it was because "they like what my father is doing." That exchange resurfaced this week amid fresh examples of reverent GOP rhetoric.
“Donald Trump is the best thing to happen in this country in 100 years,” Rep. Troy Nehls of Texas declared. “He was born a very special baby. I bet you the doctors said, ‘I can tell this is a very special baby.’”
As hyperbolic as those words may sound, they are consistent with Nehls’ past comments. HuffPost documents that in 2024 Nehls said, "If Donald Trump says, ‘Jump three feet high and scratch your head,’ we all jump three feet high and scratch our heads." Earlier this year he wore a necktie patterned with the president’s face to the State of the Union and later asked Trump to sign it. Nehls has also been quoted saying, "I believe that Donald Trump is better than sliced bread. I think he’s almost the Second Coming, in my humble opinion."
Other Republican officials have used similarly reverential language. After winning his primary, Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina quipped, "I want to thank the big guy, God. Trump comes later. Mr. President, you’re not far behind God, but we’re going to start with him." Last year, Sen. Roger Marshall of Kansas told Newsmax, "With Trump, all things are possible." On the House floor, Rep. Mark Alford of Missouri used a poster board with images of Trump and fireworks to punctuate his remarks — a spectacle that prompted Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) to ask, "Cult much?"
Why It Matters
These examples matter because they signal how personality-driven loyalty can shape political discourse and party identity. What Corker described as "cultish" eight years ago is echoed now in praise that borders on the mythic. Whether these comments are strategic populist theater, sincere adulation, or both, they highlight ongoing tensions over the GOP’s relationship with its most prominent figure.
Note: This piece draws on reporting from HuffPost and Newsmax and originally appeared on MS NOW.
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