Disentangling MAGA
A primer on the differences between higher-profile pro-Trump and far-right groups
For people outside the MAGA / pro-Trump movement, the right (and far-right) can seem like an undifferentiated group of guys in red hats. In anticipation of seeing more public MAGA activity this summer, here's a quick primer on some of the higher-profile groups, where they stand, and what they stand for.
Trump Flag MAGAs – This is a term I made up and a bit of a catchall group, but I use "Trump Flag MAGAs" (TFMs) to refer to the person who goes to Trump rallies, wears a MAGA hat, maybe has a Trump flag flying at their house or on their car, and who is almost cultishly loyal to Trump. They are the ones who like to "own the libs" and they are active on social media. This is the group I write most about in the MAGAReport.
They love Trump because he offers simple, straightforward solutions to complex problems, and they do not care if those solutions actually work. They trend lower on their understanding of policy and often describe themselves as uninterested in politics before Trump ran in 2016. They like that he is offensive to the right people, and they are drawn to his policies that punish their enemies.
Their identities are wrapped up in being MAGA. As a result, they tend to swing their policy positions to match what Trump says. When Trump complained about the price of groceries, they would talk about how Biden is a failure. When, after the election, Trump says the cost of groceries was out of his control, they defended him. If Trump says grocery prices must go higher so he can implement his tariffs, they will say they are happy to pay it. It’s like they see MAGA as a sports team to support rather than a comprehensive set of policies they agree with.
They are inclined to accept a lot of conspiracy theories and misinformation put forward by Trump. This makes it difficult to engage in good faith conversations with them; they reject a shared set of facts.
Some of them did participate in the attack on the Capitol on January 6, but most of them cheered it on from afar. They talk about violence in support of Trump, and celebrate violence against who they perceive as enemies (e.g. they were generally supportive of Kyle Rittenhouse showing up to a BLM protest with a rifle), but they are not actively plotting that violence themselves.
The Proud Boys came to the attention of a lot of Americans in the 2020 Presidential debates where Trump to them to "stand back and stand by". The Proud Boys have their own ideology that aligns with Trump's, but they are not blindly loyal to him. If Trump pushes a policy that conflicts with their platform, they will call him out on it. This differentiates them from the Trump Flag MAGAs.
The Proud Boys call themselves Western Chauvinists who "refuse to apologize for creating the modern world." They are in favor of traditional gender roles, and are anti-political correctness and anti-immigration. They are recognizable through their black and yellow colors and their gold laurel wreath logo (though that trademark now belongs to a Black church in DC, which is an interesting story all its own)
They are not a militia, but have engaged in fights during the BLM protests of 2020. A bunch of them were also sentenced for their participation in January 6. In the aftermath, they have not been as visible in public, but I expect that will change starting this summer. There was a big group of them at inauguration and there is talk in their Telegram chats about protesting at Pride.
There is also a split within the Proud Boys that emerged in the aftermath of January 6. About 1/3rd of the chapters see themselves as independent from any "national" organization, and the rest are part of a (loosely organized and actively transforming) national organization. It will be interesting to see how this plays out now that the pre-January 6 leadership is out of prison and back in the limelight
Patriot Front is a white nationalist group that emerged in the aftermath of the Charlottesville “Unite the Right” rally that took place back in 2017. Remember the guys in white polo shirts with tiki torches? They were a precursor to Patriot Front.
You may have seen Patriot Front in local news reports or on social media in their "uniforms" – khaki pants, blue shirts, white neck gaiters that are worn over the nose, sunglasses, and tan baseball caps. Every few months they have marches where they carry shields and flags, and their leader, Thomas Rousseau, speaks. Outside of the marches, members are expected to regularly post white nationalist graffiti and stickers.
They are Trump supporters, but they are much more committed to their own ideology than to his. They are also generally reviled by most of the rest of the far-right who consider them cosplayers and “feds”.
The Oath Keepers are an anti-government militia. They existed before Trump’s first election and were best known for federal land standoffs like at Bundy Ranch. They were present in Ferguson in 2014 and 2015 wearing fatigues and carrying rifles. A number of Oath Keepers were indicted and convicted for their participation on January 6, where they were among the more tactically organized participants. Compared to the Proud Boys and Patriot Front, they are not as visible between their military-adjacent actions and they do not have a recognizable uniform or logo. They are probably most recognizable through founder Stewart Rhodes who wears an eye patch (he accidentally shot himself in the face when he was in his 20s and has a prosthetic eye). Despite being anti-government, they are strongly pro-Trump. January 6 prosecutors alleged that Rhodes had a direct line to the White House that day.