The US election – a high-stakes battle between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump – is being perceived as critical for the future of democracy in America.

The fear is that if Trump wins, he will undermine key tenets of American democracy, like using government agencies to settle scores with his rivals. Despite this, he remains a formidable contender.

In the first episode of the three-part mini-series Mandate 2024: US Edition Sreenivasan Jain reports from a Trump rally in Arizona – a crucial swing state – to understand what is driving Trump bhakti.

Why do so many Americans buy into the cult of Trump, despite the red flags?

Is it because he stokes fear of an immigrant invasion, of America’s white majority being overrun? Or is there more to it?

Watch our compelling ground report for answers.