this is a little beyond that, this is fusing one's identity with one's own so that an attack on whatever they've 'fused' with is like a personal attack patriotism makes more sense in that context too

fusing with a authority figure or entity* I mean

It does. Your best guess: what would make a MAGA suddenly see the hypocrisy? What kind of personal experience? (in general because, of course, we're all different. Would a religious experience do it?