Latest news with #MAGAverse
The Hill
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Hill
Sydney Sweeney and politics: How the right became infatuated
The online MAGAverse is infatuated with Sydney Sweeney, a rising star in Hollywood whose 'great jeans' American Eagle tagline became a controversy — one that conservatives have enjoyed highlighting. The affair with Sweeney and the GOP didn't necessarily start with the jeans ad, though the photo shoots of the denim-clad actress were widely seen by Republicans as being unapologetically American and rejecting liberal sensibilities about beauty and inclusivity. After some liberal detractors took issue with her ad, MAGA media influencers and other conservative media outlets amplified the story, which played well to audiences focused on 'owning the libs.' Vice President Vance last week positioned criticism of the slogan as emblematic of the shortcomings of Democrats. 'You have, like, a normal, all-American, beautiful girl doing, like, a normal jeans ad. They're trying to sell jeans to kids in America,' Vance said in a podcast appearance. 'The lesson they [Democrats] have apparently taken is, 'We're going to attack people as Nazis for thinking Sydney Sweeney is beautiful.' Great strategy, guys.' No major Democratic officeholders had weighed in on the issue. Rather, the criticism appeared to come from online observers whose commentary rocketed to virality, so it's far from clear whether there is any kind of organized strategy behind criticisms of the American Eagle ad. But that mattered little given the politics of the situation. Sweeney has long been a subject of fascination among some of the right, and after it emerged that she is reportedly a registered Republican in Florida, the idea of her being a Hollywood avatar of the right reached new heights, to such an extent that it earned the attention of President Trump. 'Sydney Sweeney, a registered Republican, has the 'HOTTEST' ad out there. It's for American Eagle, and the jeans are 'flying off the shelves,'' Trump wrote on Truth Social earlier this week. 'Go get 'em Sydney!' There are clear reasons why Sweeney is an attraction for Trump and others on the right, particularly in the context of the ad campaign. Regardless of Sweeney's real politics, the 'great jeans' slogan was a perfect riff for Republicans and Trump allies to make statements about American pride. Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), who is running for governor in South Carolina, wrote on the social platform X that 'Nancy Mace for Governor has great jeans,' alongside her wearing short skinny jeans and aiming an assault rifle. Former President Reagan's official library, Tesla, the Department of Defense and cryptocurrency platform Solana were among the others who jumped on the slogan. In a statistic that likely showcases the popularity of the story with its viewers, Fox News mentioned Sweeney and her ad 766 times over the course of the week, according to a tally from CNN's 'Reliable Sources' newsletter. The Sweeneymania dwarfed the mere 53 mentions of Jeffrey Epstein, a storyline from which the president has sought to redirect eyeballs. Republicans are also often on the lookout for A-list celebrities that show signs of backing the GOP brand. Democrats have long had an easier time drawing that kind of support from the music industry and Hollywood. Witness the celebrities that came out in force for former Vice President Kamala Harris during last year's presidential contest, from Beyoncé and Taylor Swift to Julia Roberts, Jennifer Aniston, George Clooney and Leonardo DiCaprio. If Sweeney is a Republican and is sending implicit signals through the American Eagle advertisement, it's a clear culture war win for Republicans. Gabriel Rossman, a sociologist at the University of California, Los Angeles, chalked up much of the GOP fixation on Sweeney to 'negative polarization.' 'If the opposition hates it, then we love it,' he said. 'It's a slightly dated line: It triggers the libs.' The question of what is real and what isn't real is a mystery, one that might not hurt a Hollywood star. The 'Euphoria' and 'The White Lotus' star has been reserved about her political beliefs. She hasn't commented on the American Eagle campaign, although the company released a statement saying the tagline 'is and always was about the jeans.' Sweeney's representation did not respond to a request for comment. There are clear reasons for her to stay away from the topic. Especially in the internet age, 'clarifying' political statements by celebrities has often only fanned the flames of discourse. Sweeney wants Republicans and Democrats to go to her movies and purchase the products she endorses. Steve Granelli, a professor at Northeastern University studying pop culture, cited Michael Jordan's famous line about why he was reluctant to wade into politics: 'Republicans buy sneakers, too.' This isn't the first time Sweeney has found herself at the center of a political discussion. She's previously been the subject of online think-piecing about being a symbol for conservatives. After hosting 'Saturday Night Live' in 2024, several conservative commentators seized on her — and her appearance — as evidence that 'inclusive' beauty standards were finally dead. 'Are Sydney Sweeney's breasts double-D harbingers of the death of woke?' Amy Hamm, a columnist for the National Post, asked last spring. Richard Hanania, a popular right-wing online personality, then posted a video of Sweeney's SNL outro, where she wears a dress with a plunging neckline. 'Wokeness is dead,' he wrote last year. On X this week, Hanania claimed a culture war victory for the right. 'It looks like I memed into reality the biggest Republican celebrity recruit in years,' he wrote.
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Fox News' Peter Doocy corners Karoline Leavitt on Pam Bondi's broken Epstein ‘client list' promise
With much of the MAGAverse irate over the Trump administration's conclusion that disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein killed himself and didn't possess an explosive 'client list,' Fox News' Peter Doocy grilled Karoline Leavitt about Attorney General Pam Bondi's previous 'Epstein file' claims. 'So what happened to the Epstein client list that the attorney general said she had on her desk?' Doocy wondered during Monday's White House press briefing. Bondi, who has faced the brunt of conservatives' wrath for failing to deliver on her past promises of releasing a 'truckload' of bombshell FBI documents on Epstein, told Fox News in late February that she literally had possession of the convicted sex offender's supposed black book of prominent figures who engaged in illegal sexual activities. 'It's sitting on my desk right now to review,' the attorney general told Fox News anchor John Roberts at the time. 'That's been a directive by President Trump.' Following a much-maligned photo-op where she handed MAGA influencers binders full of already-public documents about the Epstein case, Bondi attempted to save face in an early March appearance on Sean Hannity's primetime Fox News show. Suggesting a 'deep state' coverup was to blame for the earlier botched release, Bondi then insisted that the FBI had just given her and FBI Director Kash Patel a treasure trove of never-before-seen information. 'A truckload of evidence arrived. It's now in the possession of the FBI,' she breathlessly told Hannity. 'Kash is going to get me and himself, really, a detailed report as to why all these documents and evidence had been withheld.' This week, however, the Department of Justice and FBI released a two-page unsigned memo concluding that the agencies had found no evidence that Epstein was murdered in his jail cell while awaiting trial in 2019. Additionally, they were unable to find any list of powerful clients that Epstein was attempting to blackmail for having sex with underage girls. In the end, despite Patel and FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino being frequent purveyors of Epstein conspiracy theories as right-wing media figures, the DOJ and FBI stated that no one else involved with the Epstein case would be charged. Naturally, the FBI leaders and Bondi have come under fire from the MAGA media ecosystem over their handling of the Epstein probe – which carried over to Monday's White House presser. Responding to a Newsmax reporter asking what she would tell Trump supporters who say they want anyone involved in Epstein's alleged crimes to be held accountable, Leavitt claimed that the administration was 'committed to truth' and had investigated the matter thoroughly. 'They committed to an exhaustive investigation, that's what they did, and they provided the results of that. That's transparency,' the White House press secretary noted. Doocy, however, followed up by bringing up Bondi's past declarations about being in possession of specific evidence in the federal Epstein case, and wondered why the attorney general now claims these documents do not exist. 'The FBI looked at the circumstances surrounding the death of Jeffrey Epstein,' the Fox News correspondent stated. 'According to the report, this systematic review revealed no incriminating client list. So what happened to the Epstein client list that the attorney general said she had on her desk?' After Leavitt attempted to reframe what Bondi had said during her Fox News interview, Doocy cut her off and confronted her with the attorney general's exact quotes. 'John Roberts said, 'DOJ may be releasing a list of Jeffrey Epstein's clients, will that really happen?' And she said, 'It's sitting on my desk right now to review,'' Doocy flatly said. 'She was saying the entirety of all of the paperwork and relation to Jeffrey Epstein's crimes, that's what the attorney general was referring to and I will let her speak for that,' Leavitt deflected, adding: 'But when it comes to the FBI and the Department of Justice, they are more than committed to ensuring that bad people are put behind bars.' Since the release of the memo, Bondi has been ripped by a number of MAGA loyalists who are incensed about her overhyping the release of the Epstein documents while failing to prosecute influential figures, calling for her to resign or be fired. On top of that, former 'first buddy' Elon Musk has said the DOJ memo is the 'final straw,' as he now vows to start a new political party after reigniting his public feud with Trump.
Daily Mail
18-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
MAGA media titan makes sensational Iran U-turn as he tells Trump 'we'll get on board' with strikes
Steve Bannon said that Donald Trump loyalists will fall behind the president if he decided to back Israel in striking Iran. It's a massive flip from Trump's former chief strategist who has in the past been adamantly opposed to strikes against Iran. Bannon said that the MAGA movement will stand behind Trump – even if they might not be fully on board with the idea of the U.S. backing Israel's attacks on Iran. 'If President Trump decides there's not a diplomatic alternative… because he's been consistent, no nuclear weapon,' Bannon said during a Christian Science Monitor event on Wednesday. He continued: 'If President Trump decides to do that, I know, and particularly his skills as a communicator, that he will come and walk people through it and the MAGA movement—look, there'll be some— but the vast majority of the MAGA movement will say, 'look, we trust your judgment, you walked us through this.'' 'Maybe we hate it but, you know, we'll get on board,' Bannon concluded. There are clear divisions within the MAGAverse over whether Trump should involve the U.S. in Israel's escalating conflict with Iran. Earlier on Wednesday, Trump dodged on whether the U.S. will get involved and strike Iranian nuclear facilities. 'I may do it, I may not do it,' the president said. Bannon acknowledged that Trump's decision to take action against Iran might divide the movement even further. 'If the president as commander-in-chief makes a decision to do this and comes forward and walks people through it, the MAGA movement— they'll lose some— but the MAGA movement, the Marjorie Taylor Greenes, the Matt Gaetzs, we will fight it up to the end and make sure you get full information but if he has more intelligence and makes that case to the American people, the MAGA movement will support President Trump,' he said. In an effort to stop Iran from gaining nuclear weapon capabilities, Israel launched earlier this month its so-called Operation Rising Lion. The air campaign began June 12 and saw Israel strike Iran's leadership, nuclear facilities and military infrastructure. This included a targeted strike on the Natanz nuclear enrichment facility where several senior Iranian nuclear scientists and military commanders were killed. Iran retaliated with launching ballistic missiles and drones on Israeli military targets and civilian populations, mostly in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Most missiles headed for Israel were intercepted. Trump returned from the G7 in Canada early amid the ongoing missile barrages between Iran and U.S. ally Israel. In recent days, Trump's rhetoric has become more threatening towards Tehran. On Tuesday he met in the Situation Room with members of his national security team. The same day he called for Iran's 'unconditional surrender' and said Iran's Supreme Leader is an 'easy target,' though he sid there are no plans to target him in a strike – 'at least for now.'
Daily Mail
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Trump signals openness to forgiving Musk
By Published: | Updated: Donald Trump weighed in on his very public feud with billionaire Elon Musk and claimed he is open to forgiving his former 'first buddy.' The president said he has 'no hard feelings' but was 'surprised' when Musk turned against him over his massive proposed spending legislation dubbed the Big Beautiful Bill. Asked by Pod Force One host Miranda Devine if he could forgive Musk, Trump said: 'I guess I could.' 'I have no hard feelings,' he admitted. 'But I was really surprised that that happened.' 'He went after a bill that's phenomenal, it's the best thing we've ever signed in this country,' Trump told the New York Post podcast host . 'And when he did that I was not a happy camper. So, it's too bad.' Musk admitted overnight that he was wrong to publish some of the posts he made last week that kicked off a civil war within the MAGAverse. 'I regret some of my posts about President Donald Trump last week. They went too far,' the SpaceX and Tesla boss posted to his social media platform X just after 3:00 a.m. on Wednesday morning. He did not specify which posts he regretted making but the pair of billionaires exchanged multiple insults as their spat exploded publicly earlier this month. The signal of contrition from Musk brings some relief to Republicans on Capitol Hill, who are desperate to avoid divisions as they continue work on Trump's signature tax‑and‑spending legislation. During their row Musk even claimed on X that Trump didn't want to publish the Epstein Files fully because he is named in them. He also posted support for impeachment, but has since deleted that one. Trump told ABC News that Musk had 'lost his mind.' Devine pressed Trump in the podcast interview, published on Wednesday, on what he thinks is wrong with the tech billionaire.
Daily Mail
11-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Trump's four-word response on whether he'll EVER reconcile with Elon Musk after bitter feud
Donald Trump weighed-in on his very public feud with billionaire Elon Musk and claimed he is open to forgiving his former 'first buddy.' The president said he has 'no hard feelings' but was 'surprised' when Musk turned against him over massive spending legislation dubbed the Big Beautiful Bill. Asked by Pod Force One host Miranda Devine if he could forgive Musk, Trump said: 'I guess I could.' 'I have no hard feelings,' he admitted. 'But I was really surprised that that happened.' 'He went after a bill that's phenomenal, it's the best thing we've ever signed in this country,' Trump told the New York Post podcast host. 'And when he did that I was not a happy camper. So, it's too bad.' Musk admitted overnight that he was wrong to publish some of the posts he made last week that kicked off a civil war within the MAGAverse. 'I regret some of my posts about President DonaldTrump last week. They went too far,' the SpaceX and Tesla boss posted to his social media platform X just after 3:00 a.m. on Wednesday morning. He did not specify which posts he regretted making but the pair of billionaires exchanged multiple public insults as their spat exploded into the public earlier this month. Musk even claimed on X that Trump didn't want to publish the Epstein Files fully because he is named in them. He also posted support for impeachment, but has since deleted that one. Trump told ABC News that Musk had 'lost his mind.' Devine pressed Trump in the podcast interview published on Wednesday on what he thinks is wrong with the tech billionaire. 'I don't know what his problem is really, I don't know,' Trump replied. 'I haven't thought much about it in the last little while. I think he feels very badly, he said that, actually.' It seems the whole ordeal stemmed from Trump's massive spending legislation that passed the House on May 22. Musk disagreed with the bill and said that it flew in the face of the efforts he made as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). In the feud, Musk began reposting sentiments from Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), who is vocal in his opposition of the so-called One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
