In an interview with Newsweek, Tim Squirrell, Head of Communications & Editorial at ISD, talked about the new Dark MAGA look. This movement, dubbed “more of a meme than a political slogan,” pushes for an authoritarian and dystopian portrayal of Donald Trump, frequently using dramatic visuals evocative of the Terminator series.

In these images, Trump occasionally has blue laser eyes, and the Trump Tower is completely covered in black paint1.Squirrell pointed out that Dark MAGA is the alt-right’s most recent attempt to reinvent itself in the wake of serious failures since the 2017 Charlottesville event, which left protestor Heather Heyer dead and ended in violence. Dark MAGA is not a new trend; rather, it is primarily made up of well-known performers doing similar things to attract attention.

Trumpists coming together behind ‘Dark MAGA’ in preparation for 2024

Additionally, the movement aims to “launder” more radical narratives into the mainstream of Trumpism. While largely referencing the vaporwave aesthetic, Dark MAGA also borrows from the skull mask movement and fashwave, the neon-colored fashion trend popularised by white supremacists. This mixing combines these unique aesthetics123 with Trump-related memes in an attempt to expose mainstream conservatives to more extreme sections within the right.

Experts caution that Dark MAGA may help extreme beliefs become more accepted in larger conservative groups. Many memes linked to Dark MAGA have been examined by the Global Network on Extremism & Technology (GNET), which has found that far-right symbols and images that advocate violence or retaliation against alleged opponents are often used23.