MAGA Loyalty

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Into the MAGA-verse

Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios

If you'd paid attention to MAGA media in the months leading up to the 2024 election, the surprise wasn't that young voters swung hard toward President Trump. The surprise was that so many people missed it. Why it matters: Gen Z's digital world became a powerful political incubator for the Republican Party in 2024 — a force for persuasion and community-building that reshaped the youth vote in astonishing ways. Seemingly overnight, MAGA took command of a full-fledged social ecosystem that met many young Americans where they already were. It was a cultural and political revolution hiding in plain sight — yet it blindsided the Democratic establishment, which is now scrambling to understand how it happened, and how to fight back. ? Zoom in: Axios reporters Erica Pandey and Tal Axelrod set out to experience the MAGA-verse online — in real time. We each created new accounts on TikTok — where Gen Z disproportionately gets its news — and followed a basic set of MAGA or MAGA-aligned accounts: Think Team Trump, Tucker Carlson, Charlie Kirk and Candace Owens, Tal and Erica write. TikTok knew that Tal was a 30-year-old man and Erica was a 30-year-old woman. From there, the algorithm took control. At first, we got what we expected: Clips from Trump rallies, viral moments from Kirk's podcasts, and segments from Fox News. Then, our experiences diverged. Tal was fed a steady stream of masculinity content: Endurance athlete David Goggins berating men with motivational speeches, podcaster Chris Williamson interviewing guests about male struggles. Erica's "For You" page zeroed in on three topics: 1) right-wing critiques of modern feminism pulling women away from marriage and motherhood; 2) debates around trans women in sports; and 3) the ethics of abortion. ? The intrigue: It took less than an hour for the algorithm to move us from standard MAGA content to deeper ideological terrain — podcast clips, campus debates, and "red pill" rants about gender roles and identity. We didn't go looking for this content — it came to us. And it revealed a striking pattern: right-wing views on gender and identity are digitally intertwined with MAGA politics. Dip your toe in, and the algorithm grabs your ankle: Interested in mixed martial arts and the UFC? You might land on a pro-Trump hype reel. Interested in lifestyle content? You might end up with conservative takes on motherhood and marriage. Between the lines: Much of the gender-based content we observed wasn't overtly political or fringe — at least not at first. "A lot of this gets glamorized on social media," says Rachel Janfaza, a youth political analyst and writer of The Up and Up, a newsletter about Gen Z. "You see influencers talking about how amazing it is to be a stay-at-home girlfriend or stay-at-home mom and cook and clean." ? "Trad wife" and "manosphere" videos perform extraordinarily well. "It's kind of this vicious cycle where these social media algorithms are naturally going to be favorable towards content that is a little bit more inflammatory and click-worthy," said Ali Mortell, the director of research at Democratic data firm Blue Rose Research. "And then on top of that, the political right, not just in the United States, but globally, has really leaned into that shift in the earned media environment in a way" that the left has not, Mortell added. The bottom line: If you're not on social media, this world may seem distant — but it's central to Trump's strength with Gen Z, and a key part of why he's sitting in the White House.

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⚡ MAGA rattled

President Trump's most fervent backers normally revel in his wild unpredictability and improvisation. But in the past few days, they've been rattled by it, Axios' Tal Axelrod and Alex Isenstadt write. Why it matters: Many in his anti-war MAGA flock were alarmed when he ordered the bombing of Iran's nuclear sites. But they mostly withheld criticism as he promised the attacks would be limited, not aimed at ousting Iran's leaders, and wouldn't lead Americans into a prolonged war. Then on Sunday, he confused and alarmed some MAGA loyalists — and contradicted his own advisers — by advocating for regime change in Iran. Trump calmed MAGA world yesterday, essentially claiming victory and touting a ceasefire after Iran responded with a muted missile attack that opened the door for diplomacy. ?️ The big picture: Trump's tendency to adopt flexible stances on key issues often is chaotic. But his followers have hailed it as "strategic ambiguity" — a way to maintain maximum leverage over unsteady opponents. Keep reading.

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MAGA's siege mentality

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

TAMPA, Fla. — Suspicion is rippling through the MAGA movement, clouding a historic run of conservative victories meant to lay the foundation for President Trump's "Golden Age," Axios' Tal Axelrod and Zachary Basu write. Why it matters: Even at the apex of power, MAGA's populist base remains convinced that shadowy forces are working to unravel its every gain. Trump's recent actions — especially his administration's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case — have only hardened those fears. At Turning Point USA's Student Action Summit in Tampa over the weekend, the mood among Trump's most loyal supporters was celebratory on the surface — but crackling with anxiety underneath. Speakers and attendees hailed Trump's dominance over the GOP, the passage of his legislative agenda, and his mass deportation blitz as proof that MAGA is winning. But fears of collapse loomed: Even with Democrats in shambles, MAGA's leaders warned that the "Deep State," globalist elites and internal traitors were plotting to undo everything Trump has built. ? Zoom in: The Justice Department's stunning decision to close the Epstein case — and Trump's claim that "nobody cares" about the deceased sex trafficker — dominated discourse at the Turning Point summit. For arguably the first time since Trump founded the MAGA movement 10 years ago, activists warned that the president was out of step with his own base. The scene was remarkable: Trump's most influential allies, gathered at a conference to toast his presidency, openly speculated whether the administration was engaged in a cover-up. Top Trump ally Steve Bannon warned that the administration could "lose 10% of the MAGA movement" over the Epstein saga — enough, he said, to cost Republicans 40 House seats in 2026. ?️ The big picture: Beyond Epstein, MAGA is constantly on guard against what it sees as creeping betrayals — both from within Trump's orbit and across the broader conservative establishment. Ukraine: Trump rolled out a new plan yesterday to funnel arms to Kyiv through European allies — a major shift in policy toward a conflict that MAGA constantly warns could escalate into "World War III." Iran: Trump's decision to join Israel in bombing Iran's nuclear facilities last month shattered hopes among MAGA's isolationist wing that he would steer clear of another Middle East entanglement. Immigration: Even as Trump ramps up his mass deportations, MAGA hardliners have sounded the alarm over potential "amnesty" for undocumented migrants working in the agriculture and hospitality industries. ? Trump wrote in a lengthy Truth Social post defending Attorney General Pam Bondi on Saturday: "We have a PERFECT Administration, THE TALK OF THE WORLD, and 'selfish people' are trying to hurt it, all over a guy who never dies, Jeffrey Epstein." The bottom line: For a movement born out of deep skepticism toward domestic and foreign institutions, MAGA's mistrust remains a defining feature — even as it celebrates its greatest political victories.

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MAGA faithful are angry about the Epstein case. Here’s what to know  A broken promise to release more information about the Jeffrey Epstein case has sparked outrage among some of President Donald Trump’s loyal supporters, and the anger over the case threatens to divide the MAGA faithful. Read more.

What to know: The Justice Department last week said Epstein, who was facing charges of sex trafficking, did not leave behind a “client list.” Attorney General Pam Bondi suggested in February it was on her desk, though she later said she was referring to the overall case file. Bondi also said officials were poring over a “truckload” of previously withheld evidence. The Justice Department concluded, however, that public disclosure would not be appropriate and that much of the material was placed under seal by a judge.   The move has angered right-wing influencers who were once bolstered by Trump’s own claims on this case, but are now feeling their demands are being squelched by his administration. Figures like commentator Tucker Carlson, right-wing activist Laura Loomer and former Trump adviser Steve Bannon claim the government’s handling of the case shows a lack of transparency.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ WATCH: Handling of Epstein files sparks clash between Pam Bondi and Dan Bongino

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⚡ MAGA demands arrests

The Trump administration's sweeping "transparency" crusade has electrified MAGA loyalists eager to see "Deep State" officials and Jeffrey Epstein's alleged clients paraded to prison, Axios' Tal Axelrod writes.

• Now, some of President Trump's most prominent supporters say he must deliver to maintain that unity.

Why it matters: Under pressure for his handling of the Epstein case, Trump is taking a big swing at MAGA's biggest bogeymen — the supposed cabal of shadowy elites who run the country, along with its army of unelected government bureaucrats.

• The president raised the stakes yesterday, declaring in the Oval Office that former President Obama and other ex-officials must be prosecuted. "Whether it's right or wrong, it's time to go after people," Trump said.
• Trump's allegations of "treason" stemming from the 2016 Russia investigation drew a rare response from Obama's office, which rejected the claims as "outrageous" and "bizarre."

? Zoom in: MAGA's expectations are stratospheric. Failure to land anyone behind bars could be seen as a betrayal — a break from the "promises made, promises kept" mantra that has defined Trump's relationship with his base.

• "If you tell the base of people, who support you, of deep state treasonous crimes, election interference, blackmail, and rich powerful elite evil cabals, then you must take down every enemy of The People," Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) posted Monday.
• "If not," she warned, "the base will turn and there's no going back."

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MAGA's Israel rupture

Photo illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios. Photos: Abir Sultan/Pool/AFP and Brandon Bell/Getty Images

The reliably pro-Israel Republican Party is scrambling to contain a generational revolt over foreign aid, antisemitism and the true meaning of "America First," Axios' Tal Axelrod and Zachary Basu write. Why it matters: Amid scenes of starvation in Gaza, the MAGA movement has become an unlikely epicenter of the national reckoning over America's relationship with Israel. A GOP realignment — in tandem with Democrats' overwhelming disapproval of the war in Gaza — could threaten the foundation and future of America's decades-old alliance with Israel. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), a prominent voice for MAGA's grassroots base, became the first Republican member of Congress this week to call Israel's war in Gaza a "genocide." President Trump broke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by acknowledging this week that there is "real starvation" in Gaza, even as he urged Israel to "finish the job" by eliminating Hamas. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), a critic and target of the pro-Israel lobby AIPAC, tweeted yesterday that "Israel's war in Gaza is so lopsided that there's no rational argument American taxpayers should be paying for it." ?️ The big picture: A growing number of Gen Z conservatives — removed from the historical context that shaped older Republican views — see Israel as just another ally taking advantage of America's generosity. "What we are seeing on Israel is a generational split around the age of 40," MAGA podcaster Jack Posobiec told Axios earlier this month. "Over 40 support, under 40 range from skeptical to wanting to cut all ties." The harrowing images from Gaza — along with Israel's bombing of a Catholic church this month, and attacks by Israeli settlers on Christian communities in the West Bank — have only deepened MAGA resentment. "Israel, whether it realizes it or not, has made itself the villain of the world in letting this thing go on so long. They have lost support among their dearest friends," conservative radio host Megyn Kelly warned this week. The intrigue: Keenly aware of Israel's reputational crisis, Netanyahu sat for an interview last week with the Nelk Boys — a team of pro-Trump YouTubers popular with young men. The backlash was swift and extraordinary: the Nelk Boys' own audience turned on them, accusing the hosts of platforming a war criminal and failing to ask meaningful questions. The group apologized by hosting a parade of openly antisemitic influencers to present "the other side," including white nationalist Nick Fuentes and "red pill" podcaster Myron Gaines. ? Between the lines: MAGA's antisemitism problem is real. But many young Trump supporters are engaged in a genuine foreign policy debate over whether sending billions of dollars to Israel aligns with the principles of "America First."

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MAGA Gloats After Elizabeth Warren, 76, Falls on Senate Floor

While senators rushed to Warren’s aid in a display of bipartisan camaraderie, MAGA pundits wasted no time mocking the moment.

A video of Sen. Elizabeth Warren taking a tumble on the Senate floor has sparked ridicule in MAGA corners online.

A live feed from Wednesday evening shows the 76-year-old Massachusetts Democrat lingering in the well of the Senate during a vote on President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the U.S. Marshals Service.

Leaning back with arms crossed, Warren presses against a desk—only to feel it give way beneath her. She loses her balance and topples backward onto the floor.

The moment sparked a rare display of bipartisan camaraderie, with a swarm of colleagues rushing to Warren’s aid. Republican Sen. Ted Cruz, 54, who previously suggested Warren “could” have a penis while telling a crude joke in 2022, helps her up by the arm.

Warren appears to be unhurt, tapping Cruz’s hand to reassure him, before settling against a sturdier table. Other senators huddle around the desk, rocking it back and forth and reenacting the mishap in disbelief that it could falter.

Warren’s fall lit up MAGA social media after conservative outlet Blaze Media posted the video Thursday, with users suggesting it was a sign of her age and calling for her retirement.

“Boom! Pocahontas herself, Democrat Sen. Elizabeth Warren, just took a nasty fall on the Senate floor. Perhaps it’s time for her to retire?” the media website Conservative Brief wrote, using the derogatory nickname Trump, 79, has used to reference Warren’s past claims of Native American heritage.

MAGA podcaster Benny Johnson wrote, “Yikes. Down she goes.”

Ian Miles Cheong, the Elon Musk-loyalist and right-wing commentator, lamented, “It’s too bad Elizabeth Warren didn’t fall on her face.”

The Senate ultimately voted to advance the confirmation of Gadyaces Serralta as director of the U.S. Marshals Service. Warren joined 38 other Democrats in voting against Serralta, the current U.S. Marshal for the Southern District of Florida.

Earlier in the day, Warren voted for two resolutions introduced by Sen. Bernie Sanders, 83, aimed at blocking arms sales to Israel, joining roughly half of Senate Democrats. With Republicans unified in opposition, both measures failed to pass.

While Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson, 53, sent the lower chamber home early for summer recess in order to avoid a showdown over the Jeffrey Epstein files, Senate GOP leadership is rushing to speed through Trump nominee confirmations.

The Daily Beast has reached out to Warren’s office for comment.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/maga-gloats-after-elizabeth-warren-76-falls-on-senate-floor-and-ted-cruz-comes-to-her-aid/?

ps:I wonder where they learned that from? Probably from there cult leader!!!!!

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MAGA warning to Trump heir

Photo illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios. Photos via Getty Images

MAGA's growing independence is a warning to the GOP's next leader about the risks of inheriting a populist juggernaut, Axios' Tal Axelrod reports. Why it matters: Even when Trump is out of sync with MAGA — like on Jeffrey Epstein — he brings supporters to heel. That power stems from deep loyalty and shared enemies forged over a decade of political warfare. Any Republican with presidential ambitions will have to woo the base to even approach Trump's grassroots dominance. ? What they're saying: Breitbart editor-in-chief Alex Marlow told Axios there's a blueprint for MAGA's next leader, but that "they are going to have to earn it" like Trump did. Go deeper.

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? MAGA rails against "pothead" culture

Illustration: Maura Losch/Axios

Prominent MAGA leaders are urging President Trump to back off his plans to review federal restrictions on marijuana, warning of a one-way ticket to societal ruin, Axios' Tal Axelrod writes. Why it matters: Reclassifying marijuana as a Schedule III drug would open the door to expanded research and deliver a major boost to the legal cannabis industry, which is now constrained by a patchwork of state laws. As a Schedule I drug, marijuana is grouped alongside heroin and LSD as "drugs with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse." Many Trump allies are vehemently opposed to easing federal restrictions — portraying marijuana as a gateway to a smelly, lazy, dirty society. ? Zoom in: Trump confirmed reports that he was considering reclassifying marijuana in the next few weeks, though he seemed torn between medical benefits and other side effects. MAGA luminaries sounded the alarm after The Wall Street Journal reported on Trump's discussions with the cannabis industry — which has donated millions to his political groups — about possible reclassification. Keep reading.

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?? MAGA escalates U.S.-India tensions

MAGA is seizing on President Trump's trade war with India to mount a broader crusade against Indian immigration, influence and culture, Axios' Tal Axelrod and Zachary Basu write.

• Why it matters: The sudden hostility from Trump's base has stunned Indian officials at a time New Delhi was already reeling from the president's 50% tariffs, which he imposed as a penalty for buying Russian oil.

? The big picture: The escalation threatens to unravel Washington's years-long bet that India can serve as a regional counterweight to China — a strategy that Trump himself championed in his first term.

• Trump and India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi linked arms at a massive "Howdy Modi!" rally in Texas in 2019, and again in Modi's home state of Gujarat at an even bigger "Namaste Trump!" event in 2020.
• But this week, with India-U.S. tensions soaring, Modi joined hands with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping in his first visit to China in seven years.

Behind the scenes: The relationship has soured in Trump's second term — not only over trade tensions, but also because Modi declined to back Trump's push for a Nobel Peace Prize, the N.Y. Times reports.

? Zoom in: For MAGA, which views domestic culture wars as inseparable from foreign policy, the rupture is an opening to reframe U.S.-India relations as a civilizational clash.

• Top Trump ally Charlie Kirk posted on X: "America does not need more visas for people from India. Perhaps no form of legal immigration has so displaced American workers as those from India. Enough already."

ps:So maybe we should change the acronym "MAHA" to Make America Hate Again????? I've never seen a group of people that dislike so many others as this supposed Christian group calling themselves MAGA!!!!!!!!!!

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Why MAGA’s Bigoted Transition to Gun Grabbing Is Truly Sick

The only meaningful remedy is gun control and without it, the carnage continues.

The supposed champions of the Second Amendment in the U.S. Department of Justice may be transitioning into gun grabbers when it comes to transgender people.

By several accounts, the impetus was last month’s mass shooting of Catholic school children during Mass in Minnesota where two died and 18 people were injured. The killer was a trans woman, Robin Westman. And MAGA minions were quick to note that a transgender man named Audrey Hale killed three youngsters along with three staff members at the Covenant School in Nashville in 2023.

As reported by CNN and others, the reported gun grabbers at DOJ ignore the inconvenient fact that trans people only rarely commit mass shootings and are statistically much more likely to become victims than victimizers. The grabbers argue that gender dysphoria is a mental disorder that should disqualify trans people from exercising the right to bear arms.

A mental twist that all the school shooters have in common is something experts call nihilistic violent extremism.

“It’s essentially killing for killing’s sake,” Will Carless noted in USA Today.

Think of it as No Lives Matter, a movement of total loners who are usually intensely aware of the mass school shooters who came before them. They consider their predecessors in terms of body count and often victim ages, but not sexual orientation.

In writings the police discovered after the carnage at the Annunciation Church and School in Minneapolis, Robin Westman cited the ones she admired

“I like the shooters who know what they’re doing. Shooters who plan for violence and mass death. Adam Lanza, Nikolaz Cruz, Erik, and Aiden...“

Adam Lanza killed 20 children and six staffers at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut in 2012. Nikolas Cruz fatally shot 17 at Parkland High School in 2018. Erik was apparently Eric Harris who joined Dylan Klebold in killing 13 classmates. Aiden is the preferred name of Audrey Hale, the lone trans person on Westman’s list of murderous loners of No Lives Matter.

Lanza’s actions gave rise to Sandy Hook Promise. Cruz prompted March for Our Lives. Both movements seek to address the causes of gun violence and the easy access to what are essentially weapons of war.

The only meaningful remedy is gun control and without it, the carnage continues. But when the horror during Mass in Minnesota proved to be the work of a trans person, MAGA sought to shift the blame from firearms to wokeness.

And now there are reports that folks in the DOJ are transitioning into gun grabbers and looking for ways to keep guns out of the hands of those who are more likely to be shot than to shoot.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/why-magas-bigoted-transition-to-gun-grabbing-is-truly-sick/?

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? MAGA pushes for more

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

MAGA activists are urging President Trump to tear down the remaining guardrails on his authority — dreaming of bigger, faster power grabs than the sweeping changes already in motion, Axios' Tal Axelrod and Zachary Basu write. Why it matters: Trump has spent his first eight months smashing norms — and crossing legal lines — in his dizzying pursuit of mass deportations, crime crackdowns, government purges and more. But in MAGA's maximalist mindset, it's not enough: The base sees a shrinking window for its revolution, with Trump term-limited and potential midterm losses looming next year. On every political front, the movement is pressing for more — now. ? Zoom in: At last week's National Conservatism Conference in Washington — a more cerebral counterweight to CPAC's red-meat theatrics — MAGA thinkers and influencers outlined further flexes. Agencies: White House budget chief Russ Vought said at "NatCon" that the Government Accountability Office — a watchdog that repeatedly has accused the Trump administration of violating federal law — shouldn't exist. Vought, an architect of "Project 2025," argued there should be no such thing as independent federal agencies. Redistricting: Steve Bannon, the MAGA leader, has called for GOP-led states beyond Texas to redraw their congressional maps to minimize Democratic districts, for Trump to redo the census to exclude unauthorized immigrants, and for the Supreme Court to strike down the Voting Rights Act. Confirmations: Charlie Kirk and other activists have called for Senate Republicans to blow up "blue slips," the tradition of allowing senators to block U.S. attorney and district court nominees in their home state. Military: After Trump deployed the National Guard to crack down on crime in D.C. MAGA activists urged him to send troops everywhere — regardless of whether governors consent. Judiciary: Activists argue that courts that issue rulings against Trump's agenda should be dissolved and "rogue" judges should be prosecuted. Jan. 6 rioters who already received blanket commutations are demanding financial damages. Steve Bannon speaks at the National Conservatism conference last week. Photo: Dominic Gwinn/AFP via Getty Images ?️ What's next: Republicans on Capitol Hill are weighing a second sprawling reconciliation bill, just after the megabill Trump signed in July — a sign of the pressure to deliver while they still control Congress.

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How Charlie Kirk Mesmerized MAGA—and Helped Trump to Victory

The 31-year-old had become one of the most recognizable faces of the MAGA movement.

When Donald Trump bulldozed his way into the White House in 2016, the Republican establishment scrambled to make sense of a candidate who defied all the norms.

But one young activist, then barely out of his teens, quickly recognized Trump’s disruptive potential and set about ensuring that the next generation of conservatives would rally to his cause.

That was Charlie Kirk.

Before his shocking assassination on Wednesday, Kirk, the founder of conservative non-profit Turning Point USA, had become one of the most recognizable faces of the MAGA movement.

With his sharp soundbites, passion for debate, and penchant for culture wars, the boyish-faced podcaster captivated young men across America and cultivated a youth wing that helped propel Trump back into the White House.

Raised in the Chicago suburbs, Kirk attended a community college before dropping out to devote himself to political activism.

He applied for West Point, the elite US military academy, but couldn’t get in.

Things changed, however, when Kirk co-founded Turning Point as an 18-year-old in 2012.

Since then, he has taken it from a modest outfit whose mission was to identify, train, and organize students to promote free markets and limited government, to a mobilization machine backed by millions of dollars in donor support.

The Arizona-based organization now boasts activities across 3,500 college and high school campuses across America.

It personifies Trump’s pugnacious and populist message, reframing it for college students, particularly men, disillusioned with political correctness and elite liberalism.

And its annual Student Action Summit has become a pilgrimage for MAGA college students to debate ideas, network, and hear from top Republicans.

They include Tucker Carlson, Donald Trump Jr., and the president himself.

Through his work at Turning Point, Kirk became a regular fixture on Fox News and conservative podcasts, debating issues such as transgender identity, faith, free speech, and working-class values.

“We have to ask ourselves a question as a conservative movement: are we going to revert back to the party of the status quo ruling class?” he once asked.

But his political operation, Turning Point Action, which Kirk founded in 2019, is what really helped fuel Trump’s comeback.

Through an aggressive get-out-the-vote campaign, Kirk and his team hired field organizers in battleground states, built a voter-mobilization app, and coordinated canvassing and fundraising efforts around low-propensity voters, especially younger conservatives.

In swing states like Arizona, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania, outreach was tightly focused on people who leaned Republican but historically weren’t consistent voters—the kind of people who could tip a close presidential race.

Trump insiders viewed it as a “force multiplier,” meaning the grassroots work done by TPAction allowed Trump’s campaign and the Republican National Committee to deploy staff and resources more efficiently.

At a time when many young Americans were drifting left, Kirk carved out a conservative counterculture that helped change political history.

“He’s done an amazing job building one of the most powerful youth organizations ever created,” Trump said last year.

In the end, Kirk died doing what he did best: rallying the right on a college campus, this time at Utah Valley University.

But the evangelical Christian, father and husband was nonetheless the latest victim of political violence in the U.S., shot by a gunman who remained at large on Wednesday evening.

The president, who almost died from an assassination attempt last year, who broke the news of Kirk’s tragic death.

“The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

“No one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie.

“He was loved and admired by ALL, especially me, and now, he is no longer with us. Melania and my Sympathies go out to his beautiful wife Erika, and family. Charlie, we love you!”

https://www.thedailybeast.com/how-charlie-kirk-mesmerized-magaand-help-trump-to-victory/?

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Media's MAGA makeover

Photo illustration: Lindsey Bailey/Axios; Photos via Getty Images

Trump-friendly billionaires are consolidating control over American media, steering legacy brands and social platforms in a new conservative direction, Axios' Zachary Basu and Sara Fischer write. Why it matters: The media landscape of 2016 is unrecognizable. Once dominated by critics of President Trump, today's fragmented ecosystem is increasingly controlled — or threatened — by forces aligned with the White House. Driving the news: ABC pulled Jimmy Kimmel off air "indefinitely" last night in response to monologue comments the late-night host made about Charlie Kirk's assassination. ?️ The big picture: The media's MAGA makeover is unfolding on two fronts — high-profile acquisitions that give Trump allies control of marquee platforms, and quieter rebrands that soften once-critical coverage or policies. 1. Acquisitions: No modern media deal has more profoundly reshaped U.S. politics than Elon Musk's 2022 takeover of Twitter (now X), which turned the digital town square into a platform dominated by MAGA voices. It soon may be eclipsed by another seismic deal: Oracle, chaired by Trump ally Larry Ellison, is seeking to take control of TikTok's U.S. operations as part of a consortium that includes Silver Lake and Andreessen Horowitz. The proposal — if greenlit by China — could give one of Trump's billionaire allies unprecedented sway over a platform central to youth culture and political organizing. Skydance's acquisition of Paramount this summer handed Ellison's son, David, control of CBS News, where he appointed a conservative ombudsman to review complaints about the network's coverage. Paramount-Skydance is in advanced talks to acquire Bari Weiss' conservative news site, The Free Press, and give her a senior editorial role at CBS. The Ellisons are also working on a cash bid to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery, which owns CNN — potentially putting two of America's most iconic TV news brands under the purview of one Trump-aligned family. 2. Rebrands: Major tech and media executives made a series of overtures to Trump in the wake of the 2024 election, promising a more conciliatory approach toward his second administration. Meta's Mark Zuckerberg pivoted hard after years of tensions — appointing Trump allies to top jobs and eliminating the platform's fact-checking program as part of a slate of changes targeting "censorship." Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos killed the paper's endorsement of then-Vice President Harris and announced in February that its opinion page would shift its mission to promote "personal liberties and free markets." ? Between the lines: Mainstream outlets that remain adversarial to Trump have come under heavy financial, political and regulatory pressure. Trump filed a $15 billion defamation lawsuit against The New York Times this week, claiming the paper is a "full-throated mouthpiece of the Democrat Party."

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Insiders Reveal Chilling Reason Jimmy Kimmel’s TV Bosses Caved to MAGA

Executives backed Kimmel in the hours leading up to the decision to pull his late-night show.

Senior TV executives initially supported Jimmy Kimmel in the hours before they switched course and made the shock decision to pull his show.More details are emerging about the moments leading up to ABC’s decision to “indefinitely” cut Jimmy Kimmel Live!, including last-minute meetings where executives were reportedly “p---ing themselves,” according to Rolling Stone. The report quotes two sources familiar with the tense hours before the decision. They said senior executives from ABC, its parent company Disney, and national network affiliates had held damage control meetings after the MAGA reaction to Monday’s show.

In those meetings, multiple executives backed Kimmel before ABC ultimately decided to cut the late-night host’s show, sources said, adding senior executives ultimately feared retaliation from President Donald Trump.

The report says multiple executives felt Kimmel “had not actually said anything over the line.”

Jimmy Kimmel Live! was pulled off the air on Wednesday after FCC Chairman Brendan Carr threatened to withdraw ABC’s broadcasting license during an interview with conservative YouTuber Benny Johnson.

Carr referenced Kimmel’s comments on slain right-wing activist Charlie Kirk in a monologue on Monday’s show.

“We can do this the easy way or the hard way,” Carr said. “These companies can find ways to change conduct and take action, frankly, on Kimmel, or there’s going to be additional work for the FCC ahead.”

That led to Nexstar, which owns ABC affiliate stations across the U.S., deciding to pull Kimmel’s show. The president of the company’s broadcast division, Andrew Alford, called the talk show host’s comments “offensive and insensitive at a critical time in our national political discourse.”

“Nexstar strongly objects to recent comments made by Mr. Kimmel concerning the killing of Charlie Kirk and will replace the show with other programming in its ABC-affiliated markets,” a statement from the company read.

Nexstar, which already says it owns “America’s largest local television broadcasting group,” announced last month it had entered into a $6.2 billion merger with media company Tegna. The corporate merger will require approval from the FCC.

Trump turned to social media shortly after the announcement to celebrate Kimmel’s show being paused, calling it “Great News for America.”

“Congratulations to ABC for finally having the courage to do what had to be done,” Trump said. “Kimmel has ZERO talent, and worse ratings than even Colbert, if that’s possible.”

He also called out two more late-night foes, Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers.

“That leaves Jimmy and Seth, two total losers, on Fake News NBC. Their ratings are also horrible. Do it NBC!!! President DJT.”

Other key MAGA figures rejoiced in ABC’s decision, with the Official White House Rapid Response posting on X, “They’re doing their viewers a favor. Jimmy is a sick freak!”

Johnson, whose interview with Carr set the events in train, wrote on X, “We did it for you, Charlie. And we’re just getting started…”

Trump scored a $16 million settlement from ABC last December in a defamation lawsuit over remarks by anchor George Stephanopoulos. The president was awarded the same amount in July in settlement of a lawsuit against Paramount over the editing of a Kamala Harris interview on 60 Minutes.

After that lawsuit was settled, the FCC signed off on a merger between Paramount Global and Skydance Media.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/insiders-spill-chilling-reason-jimmy-kimmels-tv-bosses-caved-to-maga/?

[phkrause]

Now MAGA’s Free Speech Warriors Plot to Censor Our Teachers

And that’s just the start.

Three words were emblazoned across the front of the pop-up tent where Charlie Kirk was sitting when he was struck by a sniper’s bullet.

“PROVE ME WRONG,” they read, in what the right-wing activist had described as an invitation to a mutual exercise of free speech as guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution.

But Texas school officials are now proceeding as if the tent’s message was: “I’LL FIRE YOU IF I DISAGREE WITH YOU.”

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) says it is investigating 281 educators for posting or sharing “reprehensible and inappropriate content on social media related to the assassination of Charlie Kirk.” The Texas American Federation of Teachers (TAFT) described it as an “extreme case of government officials witch-hunting those who disagreed with Kirk’s politics.”

Texas Commissioner of Education Mike Morath launched the hunt with a Sept. 12 letter to the state’s 1,200 local school superintendents.

“In response to such posts, I’m referring all documentation of educators that have proliferated such vile content to the TEA’s Educator Investigations Division,” Morath announced. “Such posts could constitute a violation of the educators’ code of ethics, and each instance will be thoroughly reviewed to determine whether actionable conduct has occurred and staff will investigate accordingly.”

He added, “While the exercise of free speech is a fundamental right we are all blessed to share, it does not give carte blanche authority to celebrate or sow violence against those that share differing beliefs and perspectives.”

Morath upped the pressure in a statement on Monday, at what happened to be the start of Celebrate Freedom Week. That is an annual state-mandated observance centered around Sept. 17, the date in 1787 when the delegates to the Constitutional Convention signed our founding document.

Morath declared, “TEA’s Educator Investigations Division has already begun its review, and I will be recommending to the State Board for Educator Certification that such individuals have their certification suspended and be rendered ineligible to teach in a Texas public school.”

Texas is taking the lead among officials in other states, along with numerous employers nationwide, in targeting people who expressed continued offense at some of Kirk’s other words—in particular regarding people of color as well as trans folks. People from every walk of life, from firefighters to airline crew members to a U.S. Marine to a TV news pundit to late-night host Jimmy Kimmel, have been either suspended or fired.

And, in what can be called a snitch hunt, TEA is soliciting even more complaints.

“If you are made aware of additional instances of inappropriate content being shared, it should be reported to the agency through TEA’s misconduct reporting portal,” Moarth advised in his Monday statement.

A TAFT spokesman said that such matters are usually handled by the individual school districts and a statewide snitch hunt is “pretty unprecedented.”

”I’ve been in education in Texas for almost 30 years, and. I’ve never seen a commissioner go out looking for people and soliciting complaints,” the union spokesman said. “That’s never happened.”

The spokesman noted that most of the cases involve teachers who suggested Kirk was a not-entirely-saintlike figure. At least one suggested that karma had played a role in Kirk’s demise.

“I may not like it, you may not like it,” the spokesman said. “I don’t think that’s inciting violence… And it certainly wasn’t happening in the classroom. For the most people, it was happening off-hours on their own devices, on their own account. Now, those that may have posted during the work day when they weren’t off on their break time or lunchtime, may have some questions to answer and find themselves in very hot water.”

The spokesman added that Morath wants the cases handled by a central certification board appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott.

“I don’t think that anybody who goes in front of that board right now is going to get a fair and impartial hearing based on the fact that it’s a vote of gubernatorial appointees on a tremendously hotbed issue,” the spokesman said.

At least one local board went ahead and fired a teacher just two days after Kirk was killed. The Klein Independent School District (ISD) had received an anonymous tip regarding Schindewolf Intermediate School football coach Derek Woods for his response to a Facebook post thanking Kirk “for all he has done.” Woods, who doubled as a social studies teacher, responded, “I don’t get why anyone is sad...Yes he is leaving behind 2 beautiful little girls and I pray for them. but that man was a horrible f-----g human being. He was a legit racist, homophobic, a misogynist, transphobic nasty person. Plus he said out of his d--n mouth ‘people should die in order for us to protect the second amendment.’”

The Klein ISD announced its summary ruling with a Sept. 12 press release.

“Effective immediately, this individual’s employment with Klein ISD has been terminated,” it read. “This conduct does not reflect the values, standards, or expectations of our school district and will never be tolerated.”

Last year, four Klein ISD teachers were arrested for alleged felonies including child molestation, sex trafficking, and possession of pornography.

Now, the school district says it’s upholding its standards by firing Woods for exercising his right to free speech on a personal social media account. He could not be reached for comment. The TEA did not respond to queries from the Daily Beast.

Meanwhile, Texas was pressing ahead with a snitch hunt to perpetuate a witch hunt during an observance that this year should more rightly be called Freedom Weak, not Freedom Week.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/magas-free-speech-warriors-plot-to-silence-281-teachers/?

[bonnie1962]

Got to love the complete obsessive hatred of not only Trump but all things conservative, Especially here on C/A. Without a doubt there are the obsessive Trump supporters as there are obsessive Democrats with their blind hatred of Trump.  Most of those voting for Trump did so not because of this blind cult like devotion but because it wasnt a democrat or a republican that promised everything and then did nothing. MOst felt it was the only chance to acommplish even small steps. Do nothing Republicans and wacky liberal democrats can't fathom that. Keep on with your silly obsession all things Trump and you might help Trump acommplish more of what you are whining about.

[phkrause]

MAGA’s ‘Free Speech’ Masks Are Off: They’re 1,000% Snowflakes

Free speech is what Charlie Kirk would have wanted, right? RIGHT?

Charlie Kirk is dead and I can say whatever I want about it. I can mock him, satirize him and, should I choose, make disgusting comments about the manner of his murder.

However I respond, or don’t, is up to me. If America is great, it’s because we believe in free expression. That’s the promise of the First Amendment. As Charlie Kirk himself wrote, “Hate speech does not exist legally in America. There’s ugly speech. There’s gross speech. There’s evil speech. And ALL of it is protected by the First Amendment.”

Kirk and I didn’t agree on much, but we certainly agree on that. Apparently, though, the Trump administration sees things differently, with Attorney General Pam Bondi and other prominent figures in the White House, including JD Vance and Stephen “Nosferatu” Miller, promising to crack down on “hate speech” and “radical leftist organizations fomenting violence” in the days since Kirk’s killing. If that doesn’t send shivers down your spine, you should have your spine examined. (Unless you’re Marco Rubio, in which case there’s no need because you don’t have a spine.)

Bondi said over the weekend during an episode of a podcast hosted by Katie Miller—yes, the wife of Nosferatu—that her department “will absolutely target you, go after you, if you are targeting anyone with hate speech, and that goes across the aisle.”

Yes, that fresh chill you feel isn’t the coming autumn. It’s something else entirely. The last time it was here, Senator Joseph McCarthy was hauling people in front of the House Un-American Activities Committee. Lives were upended and ruined over ludicrous assertions of communist sympathies. Now, Americans are being targeted, and even fired, not just for “hate speech” but simply for paying insufficient fealty to a murdered influencer many people hadn’t heard of a couple weeks ago.

Moreover, nobody from the administration has explained what they mean by the term “hate speech.” They can’t, in fact, because to do so would be to implicate their own leaders. If they try, it’s with typical bad-faith arguments like this from conservative commentator Matt Walsh: “The left will cancel you for saying objectively true, good and normal things. To the extent that the right cancels you, it’ll be for saying objectively abhorrent, perverse and sick things. And this distinction matters.”

In other words, according to Walsh, free speech is fine as long as it’s “objectively true, good, and normal.” But only by his definition of “objectively,” of course—if one were to color outside of those lines, one deserves whatever happens to you. That’s, literally, the opposite of free speech. (Walsh was, go figure, among many figures on the right criticizing Bondi’s message promising a crackdown on “hate speech” across the board.)

By the way, there’s nothing wrong with a private company firing somebody for offensive things an employee says. Actions—and words—have consequences. The problem is a company or institution firing somebody for what they think the government will do if they don’t act against an employee for speech they worry the government may find offensive.

As so many have pointed out in recent days, the person most responsible for spreading hate-filled rhetoric in this nation is the human whoopie cushion currently serving as President of the United States. Pam Bondi, if you’re looking at both sides of the aisle, come get your man.

Of course, some speech is already illegal. The examples are obvious and usually involve yelling “fire.” But that’s not what they’re talking about. Katie Miller, in setting up the answer I already quoted Bondi as giving, asked, “Do you see law enforcement going after these groups who are using hate speech and putting cuffs on people?”

Got that? We’re going to have law enforcement “put cuffs on people” for saying things the administration doesn’t like. And what “groups” is she even talking about? What leftist “groups” are out there preaching hate and violence? I can think of rightwing groups doing so—The Proud Boys, Patriot (“Jews will not replace us”) Front, and a number of militias—but none on the left. I’m not saying they don’t exist, they probably do, but none with the same visibility, reach and administration support as the ones on the right. But I suppose we already know they’re not going to do sh-t to those groups because the first thing Trump did when he got into office was pardon a bunch of their members after they invaded the Capitol and beat up a bunch of cops.

Now, it’s entirely possible that Bondi and Vance and Miller were feeling a little touchy after their friend died, and that’s understandable. It’s possible that their extraconstitutional talk is just that: talk. You know, the kind that’s protected under the First Amendment. But I don’t think so.

Instead, I suspect Charlie Kirk is worth so much more to them dead than alive. Here, at least, they have their MAGA martyr. Ashli Babbitt, the woman shot and killed by a D.C. police officer during the January 6, 2021 insurrection, just received a hero’s funeral from the Air Force, but the broader American public couldn’t quite get behind her. Kirk, though, is the perfect victim: a popular, prominent conservative gunned down in broad daylight. Even better, a white dude, a family man, a churchgoer. They will, literally, whitewash his words and erect a statue of him in the Capitol, which would be fitting considering his group, Turning Point USA, sent 80 buses to Washington on January 6. Those seeking to canonize him figure, probably correctly, anything they do in Kirk’s name will go largely unopposed.

Which means if you’re a lefty with a social media account and a job you’d like to hold onto, you better watch your mouth. I’ve been inundated the last week with warnings from people I love to watch what I say, to be careful, to tread lightly. They’re well-intentioned and I could not disagree with them more. But now, more than ever, it’s vital that Americans not self-censor. Now, more than ever, it’s important for people to express themselves.

It doesn’t need to be crass or crude or, to use Matt Walsh’s word, “perverse.” When we allow fear to dictate our speech, we’re not allowing the administration to stifle our First Amendment freedoms. We’re doing it ourselves. As a comedian and writer, let me state without equivocation: f--k that.

As I was finishing this piece came word that Jimmy Kimmel has been placed on an indefinite hiatus following fairly tame remarks he made regarding Kirk’s killer on his show.

This nonetheless prompted threats from Trump’s FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, who said that “[ABC] can find ways to take action on Kimmel or there is going to be additional work for the FCC ahead.”

They did it to Colbert. They’re doing it to Kimmel. Are you starting to get it?

Button up, friends. The chill you feel presages the advent of a cold—and chilling—American winter. The snowflakes? They’re in charge.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/plot-twist-magas-free-speech-warriors-are-100-snowflake/?

[bonnie1962]

Charlie Kirk is dead and I can say whatever I want about it. I can mock him, satirize him and, should I choose, make disgusting comments about the manner of his murder.

 

 

 

Yes, you can say what ever you choose so far. But usually people with a little class wait till the funeral before spewing their hatred.

It is a very foolish person that continues to poke the bear in the eye and then wonder why he comes out swinging. 

[phkrause]

Advice for MAGA

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

Axios CEO Jim VandeHei writes: Confession: Most liberal readers who wrote in after my "Advice for Liberals" column didn't like it. They found it naive and disconnected from their reality. My advice, in keeping with our coverage, was clinical — like a doctor. But these are emotional times — traumatic for some readers. So they were understandably in no mood for survival strategies. We promised a companion regimen for the other side. So here it goes! Why it matters: Some days, America feels ready to snap and break into conflict or payback we can't reverse. So it's worth reflecting on the uncomfortable truth at the heart of it: Many of the loudest voices, and lots of quiet ones, too, believe our differences are truly irreconcilable. It's tyranny vs. freedom. Autocracy vs. democracy. Traditional norms vs. twisted ideological changes. Us vs. them. The big picture: My MAGA friends argue they were treated like strangers in their own land, forced to adopt language and cultural shifts they found odd or abhorrent, shunned or canceled if they didn't comply, and targeted by government if they protested too loudly. They lived under what they call the tyranny of liberalism across government, media, business and education. So they argue they have every right to do unto others what was done unto them. Here's a different way for MAGA to think about the moment and what's ahead: You won! You took your argument to the American people, and they agreed. You control the presidency, the House, the Senate and the Supreme Court, and have full control of 23 state governments (Dems have just 15). If everyone's out to get you, why did voters rise up and vote you in? With victory comes responsibility: If you hated what they did to you, why would you think it's right to do the same to them? Over time, how can people of competing views coexist? They don't all hate you. So many in MAGA gripe about liberals living in media, social and cultural bubbles. Pop your own bubble. You'll discover lots of Democrats or former Democrats are quite sympathetic to arguments about moral decline or illegal immigration or persistent crime. Not every Democrat is the caricature you see on social media. Remember the Golden Rule. As we learn from Matthew 7:12: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. A good thought exercise as you cheer President Trump's unprecedented moves: How would you feel if a President AOC and a liberal Congress did this to you? You can right wrongs with vengeance, for sure. But putting an end to a cycle of payback and precedent-shattering is an option, too. Visit that strange land. You might find liberals an exotic, loathsome species, like many of them do you. But spend some time listening to Ezra Klein of The New York Times, or reading Derek Thompson's Substack or studying Bernie Sanders' speeches. You might be shocked by some areas of agreement. At minimum, you'll better understand the other side. Be truly patriotic. You live in a 50-50 nation and have for decades. You won't expel or convert half a nation. So think deeply about how two sides with wildly different views, red-hot emotions, big platforms, and a will to fight can do this the American way: peacefully, democratically and inspirationally. We pulled through an actual civil war and the Great Depression. So this isn't mission impossible. Clean your feed. The most provocative voices in MAGA media make their mark — and money — by capturing your attention. The easiest trick is to say nasty things or float into dark, conspiratorial places. If that's all you see and hear, it's natural to grow nasty and conspiratorial yourself. One solution: Clean up or broaden what you listen to. Another: Shut off your phone. The bottom line: We're veering fast into bad places — hatred, assassinations, presidents without limits. It's the right time for everyone to reflect. ? Let Jim know what you think: jim@axios.com. Go deeper: Your new social media policy.

[phkrause]

Nancy Mace Accuses Fellow MAGA Lawmaker of Stolen Valor in Furious Online Feud

Cory Mills faces incoming fire after helping to kill a Mace-initiated censure.

Nancy Mace has accused her fellow MAGA lawmaker colleague, Cory Mills, of “stealing” the courageous stories of soldiers in a deranged flurry of social media posts, as their bitter free speech feud shows no sign of dying out.

In a spat that has exposed the GOP’s strained line on the First Amendment, the South Carolina Republican continued her meltdown at “imposter” Mills over his vote against her push to censure Rep. Ilhan Omar.

Having spent the weekend tweeting multiple times about conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s memorial, Mace returned to attacking the army veteran Monday—using both her official and personal accounts to describe him as a liar over his military credentials.In an initial post, now pinned to the top of her feed, she railed, “Beginning to think nothing Cory Mills says is true. This guy has been parading himself around as some sort of U.S. Army special ops covert Ranger sniper James Bond 007 elite commando for years and it’s not even remotely close.

“He fabricated his resume, and stole stories from men who either gave their life for their country and can’t speak now or can’t speak for themselves due to their injuries. ‘Allegedly’

“Total Stolen Valor.”

Mace’s “stolen valor” taunt relates to an older controversy around Mills’ military record. In May, five soldiers questioned the account underpinning his Bronze Star for actions in Iraq in 2003, telling NOTUS they did not recall Mills performing the life-saving feats described on the award paperwork.

In response, Mills, 45—a Florida MAGA representative, who, like Mace, is something of a firebrand—posted what he said was a letter from his “Team Leader on the situation” along with what he said were two photos from the incidents in question.

Mace, however, suggesting that Mills had been texting her privately about her online attacks against him, claimed the blood was that of another soldier who “was actually blown up,” as she repeated her “stolen valor” comment.

Replying to the post, Mace, 47, said, “I swear Cory Mills gets dumber with every statement he makes. It’s almost like his brain short-circuits when he’s called out on his bulls--t.

“This post doesn’t say or prove anything. This is what he does. Blows hot air hoping no one will notice. And you’re not allowed to question all of his many lies.

“He was not ‘blown up.’ This is what he does. Stolen Valor Cory Mills.”

Mace also demanded Mills post his Bronze Star form, including the date it was issued, and details of who signed it, saying, “We can do this the easy way or we can do this the hard way. Up to you. #stolenvalor”

She added, “That moment when you realize everything this guy claimed is a lie, and that he can’t back any of it up. Most of what he says isn’t saying anything at all. It’s just a waterfall of words, pablum and doublespeak. No real paperwork to back any of it up either.”

Mace also posted a poll in which she asked her followers whether “a member of Congress accused of Stolen Valor, by soldiers who served with him, should be permitted to serve on the House Armed Services committee?”

She wrote in another post, “Cory Mills never spent over 20 years in the Iraq War or Middle East fighting terrorists. This guy definitely has a screw loose and shouldn’t be on Foreign Affairs or the House Armed Services Committee. Don’t fret, it gets worse. Much worse.”

At the time of publication, Mace had not posted any further allegations about Mills, but her torrent of abuse suggests it is unlikely she will let it go just yet.

Mace’s fury followed a dramatic 214–213 vote on Sept. 17 that tabled her resolution to censure Omar, in which four Republicans, including Mills, crossed the aisle to sink it.

The row was sparked after Mills explained why he had voted to block the resolution to remove Omar from committee assignments over her comments about Kirk, after he was shot dead on Sept. 11 at a rally at Utah Valley University.

Mace was outraged that Mills “defended ISIS-sympathizer Ilhan Omar’s right to speak,” while previously supporting a censure of Rep. Rashida Tlaib. Mills responded that Omar’s remarks—while “vile and abhorrent”—were nonetheless protected, whereas Tlaib’s were “inciting violence.”

But Mace didn’t limit her anger to Mills. For days, she has also escalated attacks on Omar, floating deportation and claiming the Minnesota Democrat “mocked” the killing of Kirk—assertions Omar rejected as false while telling Mace to “get help.”

The Daily Beast has contacted Mace and Mills for comment. A spokeswoman for Mace declined to comment further.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/nancy-mace-accuses-fellow-maga-lawmaker-cory-mills-of-stolen-valor-in-furious-online-feud/?

[phkrause]

The MAGA Movement Is Ready to Dump Donald Trump. Here’s His Replacement

The future of MAGA is Christian nationalism. And that calls for a heavenly figure at the helm.

We have seen the future of MAGA, and it is not Donald Trump. But even Trump has to be impressed with who he is being replaced with.

Sunday’s memorial for Charlie Kirk was, on one level, a moment of reflection on the conservative activist’s life—and one of catharsis for his supporters given the trauma of his murder. But on another, it was the most significant high-level gathering of MAGA leaders since Trump’s inauguration and, in that respect, it was strikingly different from any other such conclave we have ever seen.

That is because on Sunday, for the first time ever, Donald Trump was not the center of attention. In fact, he seemed almost out of place there, out of step with its tone and its clear focus on the future of the right wing in American politics.

Quite apart from the looming presence of Kirk himself, the most important voices at the event were his widow, Erika Kirk, and Vice President J.D. Vance.

Erika Kirk’s speech was the most emotionally resonant. Her public forgiveness of her husband’s murderer was clearly the signature moment. But she also established, with her language and focus, the character of the event—and revealed its purpose

Vance’s remarks, meanwhile, were the strongest of the senior Trump Administration officials who appeared on stage. That is true both because he seemed to be the person most genuinely close to Kirk, and also because he was the most in tune with Erika.

While Trump spoke as a politician, Erika Kirk and Vance adopted an approach that appeared more consistent with televangelists. As Erika stated explicitly, what they were there to advance was the politics of religious revival.

Their message was unmistakable: The future of MAGA is Christian nationalism. The central figure of their movement going forward would be not Trump, but Jesus.

On the face of it, it’s hard to object to such a shift.

Clearly, such a move would be a big step up, a transition from one of the worst of men, a living catalogue of vices who has been supported his entire life by the wages of sin, to a deity, the epitome of virtue.

What is more, it is a natural evolution for the American right, which in recent years has had an increasingly religious bent to its structure and focus. Evangelism at large has become a core part of the MAGA base. Movements like Dominionism, which argues that America is a Christian nation that should have Christian leaders guiding the country based on Christian principles, have been increasingly influential within Republican officials, jurists and commentators.

But there are deeply troubling elements to this trend. First, of course, is the fact that not all Americans are Christian or even religious, and that one of the principles on which this country was founded was the separation of church and state.

Also troubling is the degree to which so many televangelists in America have themselves become corrupted by money and power. Nothing illustrates this fact so well as their embrace of as corrupt a person as Trump as an agent of a Higher Power, a quasi-religious figure himself.

In fact, without for a moment doubting the sincerity of the beliefs held by many of those present at Kirk’s memorial, or those who embrace Christianity in its many forms, it cannot be denied that there is hucksterism and con-artistry to be found among prominent church leaders who echo the approaches and abuses of Trump himself.

We seem to be on the verge of replacing one type of hypocritical con with another.

Add all these factors together and it is hard to deny that the desire of so many at the memorial is to recast the goals of the right not in terms of the merits of their policies but in terms that define, their rhetoric of tolerance and free speech aside, their opponents as evil or out of favor with heavenly powers. Some—the ever-fiery Trump aide Stephen Miller, for example—were explicit in this regard.

Taking us from an America divided by politics to one divided by religion—into virtuous true believers and those who are destined for Hell—is not exactly progress. Further, putting a new face on this movement, even if it is the face of Jesus himself, will not exactly divest it of other elements like racism or misogyny. Certainly, studying the work of the man whose life was celebrated—and the fact that it was celebrated—on Sunday demonstrates this clearly.

So while the names of the players and some of their rhetoric may change, the essence of the MAGA movement will not. Nor will appropriating the language of Jesus or the Bible make those with hate or greed in their heart holy.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/the-maga-movement-is-gearing-up-to-dump-donald-trump-heres-his-replacement/?

[phkrause]

MAGA activists want Kirk vengeance

MAGA activists are demanding real-world retribution for Charlie Kirk's assassination, dragging their allies in government down a rabbit hole of online conspiracy theories, Axios' Tal Axelrod writes.

• Why it matters: MAGA is hungry for a crackdown — but its enemy is ill-defined, and its definition of success is wholly unclear. A lack of answers from the Trump administration could leave vast swathes of the base deeply disappointed.

? Zoom in: MAGA influencers aren't buying the idea that Tyler Robinson, the alleged 22-year-old assassin, acted alone.

• Some believe text messages with his partner and friends — including a batch released by Utah prosecutors — were staged to clear others of culpability for supposed knowledge of the shooting beforehand.
• Others have gone further, suggesting that a network of shadowy liberal networks financed the shooting — or at least incited it. Some top Trump officials have endorsed that theory.

No evidence has emerged to suggest any of that is true.

? The big picture: The Trump administration is unusually responsive to pressure from the MAGA ecosystem, with conspiracy-fueled narratives and personnel flowing freely between the movement and the government.

• As a result, theories about sprawling "leftist" networks, accomplices at the scene of Kirk's slaying in Utah, or overseas involvement are being treated as live leads — even in the absence of hard evidence.

[phkrause]

MAGA clamors for more

Illustration: Maura Kearns/Axios

The indictment of former FBI Director James Comey has delivered President Trump and the MAGA movement their first real taste of legal retribution — and likely not their last, Axios' Tal Axelrod and Zachary Basu write. Why it matters: To Democrats and the legal establishment, the charges against Comey for obstruction of justice and lying to Congress represent a collapse of prosecutorial independence. To Trump's base, the indictment is vindication — a long-awaited strike against a "Deep State" villain they've obsessed over for nearly a decade. As the legal world recoiled, MAGA erupted with glee and hunger for more: "We are just getting started today with this indictment," posted The Article III Project's Mike Davis, one of MAGA's enforcers in the legal wars. "It's going to get much worse for the Democrats." "Comey is the first domino to fall — others must fall faster now!" added former Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, a senior aide in Trump's first term who was prosecuted during the Russia investigation. Between the lines: It's hard to overstate how much the Comey indictment means to MAGA, given his role as the face of the Russia probe, and embodiment of the "Deep State" they believe tried to take Trump down. But many legal experts, including conservative lawyer Andrew McCarthy, view the charges as flimsy — raising the possibility that the case could collapse at trial. ? What to watch: The Justice Department is investigating John Brennan — who quarterbacked the contested 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment, which stated that Russia had a "clear preference" for Trump in the 2016 election — for allegedly lying to Congress.

[phkrause]

The MAGA Truths Behind 10 Iconic Moments in American History

Who is going to question our great president’s retelling of this great nation’s past?

There has been a lot of discussion of late centered on America’s past—and how we as a nation should address it moving forward.

As a result, there are attempts to revise or remove exhibits in the Smithsonian that the White House finds objectionable, to remove books from schools for their “objectionable” content, to re-erect statues of historical figures torn down by “woke” liberals (welcome back Christopher Columbus!), and to rename the renamed schools and military bases that the left didn’t like.

At this point, some of these places have gone through more name changes than the man who went from Sean Combs to Puffy to Puff Daddy to P. Diddy to Diddy to inmate #763427.

But here’s the good news: given that I was a history major at Villanova—yes, Bobby Prevost, aka Pope Leo XIV, and I went to school together—and given that next year is a major anniversary for these United States, I have taken a look back at the last 250 years and come up with a list of 10 major events in our history that we should all agree can be safely taught and touted in the Trumpian way our current president would want. You can trust me, I was a straight B minus student.

Paul Revere’s ride

He did not ride through the Massachusetts countryside yelling, “The British are coming!” What Revere—who was actually a shrewd economist, it turns out—actually said was, “200 percent tariffs on the British are coming.” Also, the French did not help us in the Revolutionary War. We did it all by ourselves—the French are total surrender monkeys.

The War of 1812

The U.S. Capitol was not overrun and set on fire that day. It was a peaceful and patriotic gathering by people unhappy with the election stolen from Aaron Burr several years earlier.

And the U.S. Civil War

Coastal elites in the north who horribly mistreated their factory employees were mad that Southern job creators were providing free housing, medical care and food for their happy workers.

The Great Depression

The conventional wisdom is that the depression was caused by the stock market crash, overextended investors and a decline in global trade. We know now, however, that we should actually blame Joe Biden.

The typhoid epidemic

Typhoid Mary was not actually an Irish immigrant. She was from Wuhan Province.

And the polio vaccine

This deadly vaccine—which actually caused so much suffering and disease—was finally taken off the market by RFK Jr., whose advice to anyone who claims they ever get polio is to “walk it off.”

World War II

All our children ever need to know is that there were good people on both sides.

The McCarthy hearings

No one was “Blacklisted.” They were actually “listed.” (Readers please note: Under an anticipated upcoming court order, The Smithsonian has already removed all references to the word “Black.”)

True history reveals that heroes like World War II veterans Joe McCarthy and Richard Nixon caught communists who had infiltrated our government, like Alger Hiss and AOC.

In fact, Nixon was so popular that even decades after he was falsely accused in that Watership Down scandal, he was affectionately given his “Tricky Dick” nickname—and no other president except one (see below) can ever claim to be known as a “tricky dick.”

The Clinton sex scandal

Yes, that dastardly Democrat Bill Clinton was the only U.S. President to ever have an affair. But if President Trump had ever even thought about cheating on his wives, which of course he never has, it would have been the best affair ever for the woman because of his giant, throbbing cankles. I mean, penis.

January 6, 2021

There is no such date in the calendar.

A bonus, of course: the presidential elections of 2016, 2020 and 2024

Our greatest president in history won all three by huge landslides. The biggest and most beautiful elections ever. At least until 2028.

That’s it, these 10 moments in all-American history are now corrected for future generations, and for all of us to re-learn in time for the semiquincentennial—as well as learn how to spell sesquicentennial. Please share your thoughts on other historical records that should be corrected in the comments. Together, we can remember the good ol’ days as they should be/have been/will be.

And coming soon, the revised Trump Bible, which gives the real birthdate of our savior: June 14, 1946.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/the-maga-truths-behind-10-iconic-moments-in-american-history/?