Donald Trump put the kibosh on the idea of a new right-wing party at last weekend’s Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). Trump’s followers will remain in the Republican Party, where they’ve established themselves as the biggest and most influential faction. Even so, the mere fact that the possibility of a new “MAGA” or “Patriot Party” was discussed reflects the ongoing desire for more clearly defined political parties in the United States.

Americans across a range of political persuasions yearn for three or more parties. Recent polls showed 63 percent of Republicans think a third party is necessary, which is up 10 percent since 2018, and 68 percent want Trump to lead it. A poll of Republicans taken in mid-February registered a double-digit majority — 46 to 27 percent — ready to abandon the GOP and join a Trump party.

Trump’s very success as a Republican politician, however, obviated the need for him to break away from the GOP fold. The Republican Party is, at this point, a wholly owned subsidiary of Trump Enterprises. He has managed to complete the transformation of the GOP that was in the works long before he descended the gilded escalator at Trump Tower. Why walk away from it now, when you can use your popularity to keep “Republicans in Name Only” in line?