The Totality of Allegiance

In an era when facts are challenged, and the truth is blurred, The Totality of Allegiance offers a vital exploration of the unwavering loyalty to Donald Trump. This book examines a critical and timely question: How can otherwise good, decent, and respectable people become so faithful to this leader? Authored by scholars Travis Ruddle, Ph.D., and Brad Agle, Ph.D., the book draws from extensive focus groups conducted nationwide. Through these candid and respectful exchanges, the authors reveal how personal and political identities become deeply intertwined with a commitment to a dominant strongman figure in a time of widespread distrust in institutions and even fellow citizens.

The research uncovers a powerful psychological force: a fervent devotion that blurs the boundary between perception and reality - a phenomenon that can be termed the "totality of allegiance" in which the capacity for critical thinking deteriorates and consistently prioritizes allegiance in opposition to truth itself. The Totality of Allegiance provides a crucial lens for humanely examining the deeper forces behind Trumpism and its implications for the future of democracy, while offering a path toward connection and understanding without hostility and alienation.

"Political progressives and traditional conservatives (like me) are baffled by the mass appeal of Donald Trump to our fellow citizens because he violates so many of the norms that we cherish and regard as indispensable to the common good of the nation. In this important new work based on meticulous research, Travis Ruddle and Brad Agle help people like us better understand our fellow citizens. Understanding one another is essential to strengthening the “bonds of affection” that Abraham Lincoln, the greatest American, taught us, which are what make us a nation. If we are going to succeed as a nation, if we are going to create “the more perfect Union”, which is the aim of the Constitution, we need to do the hard work of understanding one another. This book is a major contribution to that work."

– Judge Thomas B. Griffith (ret.), U. S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit (2005-2020)

Travis Ruddle, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor at Brigham Young University's Romney Institute of Public Service and Ethics. His research focuses on issues within public and nonprofit management including citizens' experiences, crises and scandals, and ethical and moral behavior in organizations. Dr. Ruddle's recent work includes The Totality of Allegiance: Inside the Hearts and Minds of Trump Supporters (2024), which provides a deep exploration into political allegiance and its impact on critical thinking. Dr. Ruddle earned his Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Oklahoma, where he also received his MPA and B.A. in Political Science. His teaching centers on leadership in public administration, nonprofit management, local government, and social impact.

Brad Agle, Ph.D. is the George W. Romney Endowed Professor at Brigham Young University's Marriott School of Business, a position he has held since 2009. In this role, he teaches courses on ethics and leadership, drawing on his extensive research in business ethics, stakeholder management, CEO leadership, and the role of religion in business.Agle's latest publication, The Bishop Book, delves into the experiences of serving as a bishop in the Church of Jesus Christ, featuring insights from interviews with bishops, their spouses, and stake presidents collected over the past three decades. His other notable works include Research Companion to Behavioral Ethics in Organizations: Constructs and Measures (2014), The Business Ethics Field Guide (2016), and the U.S. Special Operations Forces Ethics Field Guide (2020), all of which offer valuable perspectives on ethical behavior in personal and professional settings.He earned his Ph.D. in Business Management from the University of Washington and a B.S. in Information Management from Brigham Young University. He taught earlier in his career at Emory University and the University of Pittsburgh. Before entering academia, Agle gained practical experience in the corporate world with positions at Seattle First National Bank and IBM. His contributions to the study and teaching of business ethics have established him as a leading voice in the field.