Since US President Donald Trump returned to office last year, politics have become an increasingly thorny issue in the Villages. The president is due to give a speech at a local rally on Friday, as part of his wider efforts to champion his economic policies with voters ahead of the midterm elections.

The speech has created a buzz in the community for very different reasons. Trump supporters are thrilled and honoured the president is visiting. Democrats - along with other Trump critics - are planning protests. But one thing they all agree on, at this point, is that it's better not to talk about it to each other.

"Everybody does still try to get along," says Maddy Bacher, 63, a Democrat originally from Connecticut. "You want to at least be able to say good morning and how are you and how's the dog.

"But… I find you don't socialise as much, and it's kind of difficult, because everything you do move to talk about might have a political consequence.".....

The community, which was founded in the 1970s, has been a reliable Republican stronghold, voting for Trump in all three of his electoral bids. While its retiree population remains heavily conservative, a whopping No Kings protest against Trump last month turned heads - with nearly 7,000 people participating across two Villages locations, according to local reports.

"Nothing turns out Democrats like Trump," says Democratic Club president Bill Knudson, who moved with his wife to the Villages four years ago. Knudson was "kinda stunned" at how many people appeared at a new members meeting held weeks after the president took office again.