I used to think Donald Trump’s claim that he could shoot someone on Fifth Avenue and get away with it was a bit of hyperbole from a circus clown. I never imagined it would actually be an understatement.

Inciting an assault on the Capitol that left five people dead and threatened the very fabric of our democracy is a whole lot worse than a random shooting, and Republicans want to let him get away with that.

So just what would it take for Republicans to turn on Trump?

When Trump first ran, I thought his Access Hollywood comments endorsing sexual assault would be enough. I was wrong. Then I thought his personal attacks against other Republicans would be a deal-breaker. Not only were they both false and hateful, they violated Ronald Reagan’s famed 11th Commandment: “Thou shalt not speak ill of another Republican.”

So much for Reagan being the patron saint of the GOP. The people on the receiving end of some of his cruelest attacks (Ted Cruz, Lindsey Graham, Marco Rubio, Rand Paul) didn’t just overlook them, they’re now among his biggest defenders.

If personal attacks wouldn’t do it, what about political sabotage? Trump’s done that, too. He created such a fierce backlash that a record 81 million people voted for Joe Biden in an election in which Trump himself not only lost, but underperformed his fellow Republicans. In other words, Trump didn’t help them; they would have done better without him.

Trump then proceeded to undermine a special election in Georgia that two GOP candidates might have won if he hadn’t destroyed confidence in the legitimacy of the vote there.

Beyond self-interest

There’s been a narrative in place for some time now that suggests Trump’s popularity is dependent upon the fear of personal political consequences. But the political consequences to the party have been severe, and those consequences are increasingly personal as the party loses power. Not even money matters: The loss of major donors has failed to shake their commitment to Trump.

It’s clear that not even these consequences matter, because nothing of this is rational. It’s all about identity politics: Republicans have allowed themselves to become so closely tied to Trump that they see an attack on him as an attack on them. We’ve known this about Trump’s “base” for some time, but what we need to start admitting is that it’s true of his enablers in Congress, too. And this should scare the hell out of us.

Because it means that Trump could do anything and get away with it. He’s already invited and attempted to coerce foreign interference in American democracy. He’s tried to overturn the results of what his own administration called “the most secure (election) in American history,” basically nullifying everything this country is supposed to stand for. He’s incited a riot against the U.S. Capitol and inflamed terrorists to call for his own vice president to be hanged. None of it matters.

What if Trump called for a nuclear strike against Los Angeles? Oh, that would be fine, because it’s in a blue state, full of traitors. What’s a little collateral damage among friends? Please don’t think I’m exaggerating. I’m not. When identity is at stake, people will do literally anything to preserve it.

I’ve said before that I saw parallels between Trump’s followers and members of a cult like Jim Jones’ Peoples Temple. Jones not only persuaded hundreds of people to abandon their lives and relocate to his promised land in Guyana, he directed them to drink that poisoned punch.

And they did it. More than 900 people died.

Jonestown writ large

I now fear it was an understatement to suggest there’s a general resemblance between the Jonestown massacre and Republicans under Trump. I fear that it’s far worse than that: The Republican Party — including state and federal lawmakers — are every bit as brainwashed as Jonestown residents, which means they’ll do and sacrifice literally anything to preserve their own identity. Which means protecting and obeying Trump, because when they look in the mirror, they see him.

Once upon a time, I had hope that Republicans in Congress would listen to reason, or at least that they’d heed their own sense of self-interest. I don’t anymore. They’ve shown time and again that, regardless of the personal or political fallout, they’ll do anything to protect Donald Trump.

It’s not just that Trump could shoot someone on Fifth Avenue and get away with it. It’s far, far worse than that.

That person could be the most loyal sycophant (witness his treatment of Mike Pence). But he wouldn’t just shoot them. He’d put the gun in their hand and tell them to shoot themselves.

And they’d do it.

After they shot all his enemies.

What will make Republicans to turn on Trump? Nothing will.

Imagine Jim Jones didn’t have just a thousand followers but millions, including hundreds at the highest levels of government in the most powerful nation on Earth. If that doesn’t scare you, I don’t know what will.

Stephen H. Provost is a former journalist and author of three books about the Trump presidency, available on Amazon at www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08RC7L8X1.