Trump did not remake the GOP; he set it free:

[tblue37]

[ProudMNDemocrat]

1. To LIE, CHEAT, be RACIST, be FASCIST ANTI-AMERICAN scum.

There's more I am sure.

My how TDFG was busy.

[David__77]

2. I think he actually does have different ideology: national conservatism.

That is like Le Pen, sort of. Bush and Romney and almost certainly DeSantis are not of that ideology.

[patricia92243]

3. Truer words were never spoken!

[central scrutinizer]

8. Yes, he threw away the dog whistle

And yelled, “sic em”

[The Magistrate]

4. Hear Hear, Ma'am

[Irish_Dem]

5. Trump showed the GOP that they no longer had to hide who they are.

[Wounded Bear]

6. The seeds of all the current GQP bullshit were planted long ago...

and were nurtured for decades until trump revealed it all to view.

[betsuni]

7. He was what Republican voters were waiting for: right-wing hate radio come to life.

[chriscan64]

9. That is it exactly.

In the past they assumed they had the base locked up and ran McCain and Romney to pick off a few undecideds. The base was non-plussed. He was their wet dream.

[Solly Mack]

10. Exactly.

He allowed them to drop their (remaining) facade.

I always thought it apropos they were "anti-mask" about Covid 19.

Trump gave them permission to drop the mask they were wearing - that veneer of denial represented by anti-democratic, racist and bigoted code words and dog whistles to give free reign to their hate and authoritarianism.

To put on a literal mask - even for your own good - after getting rid of your figurative one is now simply too much for them.