Far-Right Infighting Threatens Trump’s Campaign as Election Approaches

[Social Media]

 

As the 2024 presidential election approaches, former President Donald Trump finds himself facing an unexpected challenge from some of the internet’s most influential far-right figures. These hard-right provocateurs, who once championed Trump’s rise to power, are now turning against his campaign, not in opposition to Trump himself but to his campaign aides and strategy. Their discontent threatens to fracture the unity that the Republican Party so desperately needs in the final weeks leading up to the November vote.

 

One of the most vocal critics is Nick Fuentes, a white supremacist and podcaster who made headlines after dining with Trump at Mar-a-Lago in 2022. Fuentes, who has built a following among the far-right, took to X (formerly Twitter) to voice his dissatisfaction with Trump’s campaign. “Trump’s campaign is blowing it,” Fuentes declared, criticizing the campaign for not positioning itself more to the right. He warned that the campaign was “headed for a catastrophic loss,” a sentiment that resonated with his followers, with his post garnering 2.6 million views by Wednesday.

 

 

Laura Loomer, another far-right activist and a known supporter of Trump, echoed similar sentiments. Once described by Trump as “very special,” Loomer criticized his campaign’s “weak” surrogates for unraveling the momentum he had built. In a post on X, she urged Trump to change his approach quickly, stating, “We can’t talk about a stolen election for another 4 years.” Her post, which was liked over 8,000 times, underscored the growing frustration among Trump’s far-right supporters.

 

Candace Owens, a far-right influencer with a massive following of 5 million on X, added her voice to the growing chorus of discontent. In a recent podcast, Owens described the internal conflict within Trump’s base as a “MAGA Civil War.” She criticized the campaign for softening Trump’s policies and persona in an effort to appeal to mainstream voters. “I’m just not sure who is driving the MAGA bus anymore,” Owens said, stressing that Trump’s campaign risks losing the support of his most loyal followers. “You’re losing that support from the people that believed in you. … You need those people.”

 

The criticism from these far-right figures highlights a significant vulnerability in Trump’s campaign. These influencers have long been instrumental in generating the viral energy that fueled Trump’s political career, particularly among predominantly White male voters.

 

Their discontent with the campaign’s direction, especially on issues like race and immigration, could undermine Trump’s appeal to his core base. The far-right activists argue that the campaign’s failure to adopt harder-right positions is a mistake that could cost Trump the election. They have also called for the firing of the campaign’s co-managers, Chris LaCivita and Susie Wiles, whom they blame for the campaign’s lackluster strategy.

 

Despite their harsh criticism of the campaign, many of these far-right influencers continue to express support for Trump himself. However, they have vowed to intensify their attacks on his campaign unless significant changes are made. This presents a challenge for Trump’s campaign officials, who have been working to distance themselves from extreme voices out of concern that they could alienate moderate voters.

 

Trump’s decision to rehire his 2016 campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, on Thursday was seen by some as a response to the pressure from the far right. Fuentes, for example, declared this move a “first victory” for his campaign. However, Loomer was quick to dismiss Fuentes’ claim, mocking him for having “nothing to do” with Lewandowski’s return and urging him to “stop pretending like he is calling the shots.”

 

Within the campaign, there is growing concern that the far-right influencers, particularly Fuentes and his followers, known as “groypers,” are becoming a noisy and counterproductive distraction. A person familiar with the campaign’s operations, speaking on condition of anonymity, suggested that Fuentes’ actions could hinder efforts to bring new talent into the campaign. “If anything, [Fuentes] is hurting the idea of getting fresh blood into the campaign, because it makes it far more difficult for Trump if it looks like he’s responding to the groypers,” the source said.

 

The Trump campaign’s official response to these developments has been to downplay the criticism. In an August 11 post on Truth Social, Trump insisted that he was “leading in almost all of the REAL polls” and praised his team for “doing a great job.” JD Vance, Trump’s running mate, also dismissed Fuentes during an appearance on CBS, calling him a “total loser” and advising Trump to “ignore” such trolls until they “go away.”

 

However, the far-right criticism has stirred unrest among some of Trump’s most ardent online supporters. Brenden Dilley, a pro-Trump podcaster in Georgia, expressed suspicion that Fuentes and other far-right critics might be part of a secret psychological operation, or “psy-op,” designed to undermine Trump’s campaign. “I’ve got a job to do, and these people are a problem,” Dilley said, questioning whether these critics were being compensated or deployed as a collective to harm the campaign. Fuentes, in response, denied being paid and stated that his actions were motivated solely by his far-right views, which he described as “far-right reactionary.”

 

Colin Henry, a researcher at George Washington University who studies political extremism online, noted that the far-right influencers’ frustration has grown in recent weeks due to Trump’s declining poll numbers and the campaign’s rejection of hard-line policies like Project 2025. “They saw that as a shot across the bow from the mainstream folks, who wanted to do all this stuff with policy and institutions,” Henry said.

 

The far-right influencers’ anger is significant because they have shown a remarkable ability to influence conservative discourse and push the Republican Party further to the right. Ben Lorber, a senior researcher at Political Research Associates, warned that this movement has the potential to pressure Trump into adopting more extreme positions. “This movement has the ability to move conservative discourse and to open up space far to the right of acceptable conservative opinion for people like Trump to move further rightward,” Lorber said.

 

Fuentes has mobilized his followers to take their demands directly to Trump’s campaign, using platforms like X and Truth Social to push hashtags like #NoMoreImmigration and #FireLaCivita to the top of trending topics. He has also encouraged his followers to engage in “guerrilla” tactics, such as mass appearances at Trump rallies in key battleground states like Michigan. Fuentes has even urged his followers to withhold their votes for Trump, arguing that it is the only way to wake up a campaign that he claims lacks energy and enthusiasm. “If they blame me for Trump losing, so be it,” Fuentes said. “He’ll have lost because he stopped talking to the MAGA base he had in 2016.”

 

Jared Holt, a senior researcher at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue who studies online extremism, observed that while Fuentes may have lost some influence since Trump’s presidency, he still retains a “cult following” among young conservatives. This group could indirectly pressure the campaign to adopt more extreme positions. Fuentes’ followers have worked with far-right members of Congress, including Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Paul A. Gosar, and have at times aligned with more mainstream pro-Trump accounts.

 

The far-right’s efforts to push Trump’s campaign further to the right have already had a noticeable impact. For example, the campaign’s official Twitter account, @TrumpWarRoom, recently posted a controversial tweet that labeled a photo of Black men as “Your Neighborhood Under Kamala” and warned, “Import the third world. Become the third world.” This type of messaging reflects the influence of far-right rhetoric within Trump’s campaign.

 

Fuentes, who has a history of promoting a white ethnostate and advocating for the end of even legal immigration, has shown no signs of backing down. He continues to rally his followers for what he calls “Groyper War 2,” a sequel to a series of disruptive events in 2019 where they targeted “fake conservatives” with provocative questions on issues like race and LGBTQ+ rights. Amanda Moore, a left-wing activist who has followed Fuentes’ group, noted that this effort was “extremely successful” in pushing the party to the right. However, she also warned that this success could prove costly for Trump by making his base more volatile. “This is what happens when you’re walking the line for years. This is where it’s going to get you,” Moore said.

 

As Trump’s campaign navigates these internal conflicts, the former president faces the daunting task of uniting his base while also appealing to a broader electorate. The growing discontent among far-right influencers underscores the challenge of balancing these competing demands. With the election drawing closer, how Trump responds to this pressure could determine the outcome of his campaign and the future direction of the Republican Party.

 

Credit: W.P.  2024-08-20

 

 

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[Tug]

Heck trump is the biggest threat to his own campaign lmao 🤣 don’t let that disenfranchising 50% of our population/being a greater asset to our enemies or the corruption stop ya lol 😂 

[mdr224]

Couldnt care less about opinions posted on social media. The only way to gain followers on those platforms is to spout the most extreme opinions possible, or else they wouldnt get any engagement. Social media is the undoing of humanity and this will be apparent when the leaders of nations starts shifting to younger generations

[mdr224]

And something further…this articles opinion is dumb. The best thing that trump can do for his campaign is to distance himself from these far right social media influencers

Edited August 19 by mdr224

[stevenl]

With the far right discontent the rallies are less boisterous. The enthusiasm is gone. But to be elected he needs the swing voters and for that has to be less controversial and less far right.

He is caught between a rock and a hard place. Only option for him I see is a change of the VP candidate, someone who is more appealing to the center. But any heavy weight candidates will most likely not be jumping for joy to join the present campaign.

[JonnyF]

"Far right" appears to be the new "Racist/Fascist".

 

A throwaway comment used to silence people with whom the left disagree.

 

So overused as to become meaningless.😃

 

[thaibeachlovers]

25 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

"Far right" appears to be the new "Racist/Fascist".

 

A throwaway comment used to silence people with whom the left disagree.

 

So overused as to become meaningless.😃

 

The people that accuse people of being "right wing" apparently have as much idea of what "right wing" actually is, as they do about my left big toe.

Edited August 20 by thaibeachlovers

[stoner]

3 hours ago, Tug said:

Heck trump is the biggest threat to his own campaign lmao 🤣 don’t let that disenfranchising 50% of our population/being a greater asset to our enemies or the corruption stop ya lol 😂 

 

You laughed 3 times at your own comment. 

 

Not the w word but the p word.

Edited August 20 by stoner

[Chomper Higgot]

4 hours ago, mdr224 said:

And something further…this articles opinion is dumb. The best thing that trump can do for his campaign is to distance himself from these far right social media influencers

You mean distance himself his base.

 

4 hours ago, mdr224 said:

Couldnt care less about opinions posted on social media.

 

When those same far right ’influencers’ are being followed by millions of voters then you yourself might not care less, be assured Trump’s campaign do care.

 

A mess of Trump’s own making, he pandered to the far right and Christofascists  and took control of the GOP, now he can’t deliver.

 

He needs the swing voters, and to get them he must openly deny the stuff the far right are demanding.

 

His ridiculous denial of Project 2025 is an example.

There’s something else too.

 

These far right ‘influencers’ are making a lot of money, they will naturally want to continue doing so.

 

They need to maintain credibility with their audience, if they see Trump failing then they will call it out. Trump winning is secondary to their income.

 

So by all means ignore what right wing ‘influencers’ are saying in line.

 

 

 

[Chomper Higgot]

2 hours ago, JonnyF said:

"Far right" appears to be the new "Racist/Fascist".

 

A throwaway comment used to silence people with whom the left disagree.

 

So overused as to become meaningless.😃

 

If you say so Jonny.

 

But it’s the ‘far right’ who are now turning in Trump.

 

How does that fit into your math?

 

 

[Chomper Higgot]

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

The people that accuse people of being "right wing" apparently have as much idea of what "right wing" actually is, as they do about my left big toe.

Or you don’t know who Nick Fuentes is.

[JonnyF]

4 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

If you say so Jonny.

 

But it’s the ‘far right’ who are now turning in Trump.

 

How does that fit into your math?

 

 

 

Well, you are one of the worst offenders so it's fitting that you'd use the term in virtually every post. 

 

Including the one above. 😃

[Chomper Higgot]

4 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

 

Well, you are one of the worst offenders so it's fitting that you'd use the term in virtually every post. 

 

Including the one above. 😃

Jonny, there’s a clue in the title of the thread you are meant to be commenting on.

 

See if you can spot it:

 

Far-Right Infighting Threatens Trump’s Campaign as Election Approaches

[JonnyF]

1 hour ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Jonny, there’s a clue in the title of the thread you are meant to be commenting on.

 

See if you can spot it:

 

Far-Right Infighting Threatens Trump’s Campaign as Election Approaches

 

Yes. The use of the term far right again. Everyone is at it, not only you. I guess you can take some comfort from that at least. 

[placeholder]

3 hours ago, JonnyF said:

"Far right" appears to be the new "Racist/Fascist".

 

A throwaway comment used to silence people with whom the left disagree.

 

So overused as to become meaningless.😃

 

If Nick Fuentes, Laura Loomer, and Candace Owens don't count as far right, what beliefs would someone have to subscribe to to count as such? Doesn't seem there's a lot of room rightward of these three.

[JCauto]

7 hours ago, mdr224 said:

And something further…this articles opinion is dumb. The best thing that trump can do for his campaign is to distance himself from these far right social media influencers

 

Where do I start? The article is not "dumb" because it is not advocating anything, it is describing the tensions within Trump's campaign between the Far Right "Groypers" as personified by Nick Fuentes and their strong push for the Trump campaign to move even further Right on various issues to the difficulties that would present in making Trump more appealing the the broader electorate. What's "dumb" is your inability to read the article and correctly interpret what they wrote.

 

This, however, is not me saying that you are stupid - I don't know you so that would be rude and could quite easily be incorrect. It is me saying that the state of the Right these days has gotten so convoluted and mixed up that by accepting a regular diet of lies and exaggerations, there is no longer anything that they can read without seeing it as some sort of a political op-ed. Here is an article that they should find interesting because it highlights one of the central tensions within the Trump campaign; how to reconcile the core Base of the GOP which has skewed much farther Right than the GOP traditionally has been while attracting enough of the other voters to win an election. Despite this being easily seen and obvious, the poster instead attacks the article as being idiotic when it's simply basic journalism.

 

An article discussing the "Squad" and the "uncommitted" voters within the Democrat Party would be similar, it would discuss how the more Left-wing (there literally aren't any Far Left voters in the USA as far as significant blocks are concerned) voters want the Democrats to condemn Israel and move towards a Single Payer system while the mainstream Democrats want to push them to the side similar to what happened with Bernie Sanders since this would cause many centrist and independent voters to abandon their party. Common sense. Not political. And certainly not "dumb".

[JCauto]

3 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

There’s something else too.

 

These far right ‘influencers’ are making a lot of money, they will naturally want to continue doing so.

 

They need to maintain credibility with their audience, if they see Trump failing then they will call it out. Trump winning is secondary to their income.

 

So by all means ignore what right wing ‘influencers’ are saying in line.

 

Grifters gonna grift. And they're all fighting over the same slice of the pie, the Far Right dummies who buy Project 2025 and all this other Christo-fascist nonsense. Trump currently gets a disproportionate part of that pie, so it's absolutely in their interest to ditch him at the first opportunity once they've decided that he's grown that pie large enough for them to move forward without him.

 

Look up what a "King Rat" is, not the excellent movie or book, the actual biological term. That's what we're seeing here, just the political version. What they don't realize is they all end up bound together and going down the sewer as one.

[Skeptic7]

Nothing "right" about Trump, nor the far right-wing nuts. 

[Cory1848]

6 hours ago, JonnyF said:

"Far right" appears to be the new "Racist/Fascist".

 

A throwaway comment used to silence people with whom the left disagree.

 

So overused as to become meaningless.😃

 

Well, no. In the present-day environment, I would define the “Far Right” as those who agree with most if not all of the policy proposals in Project 2025, a lengthy document that’s available to anyone who’s interested. Some of it is racist, and some of it is fascist. So, without intending to pigeonhole large swaths of the public, I think it’s quite possible to make some broad statements about who the Far Right are and what they believe.

[MarleyMarl]

If you have any ounce of reason, are a centrist on most issues, you are far right.

[Srikcir]

11 hours ago, Social Media said:

These hard-right provocateurs, who once championed Trump’s rise to power, are now turning against his campaign

Religious conservatives - Goodbye MAGA, hello Democrats

Various headlines:

• "Evangelicals for Harris? Kamala Harris-Tim Walz ticket draws surprising support from these religious groups"
• "Mormons are organizing for Harris — and they could swing the 2024 election"; "Latter-day Saints, Democrats and Republicans, join forces to support Harris"
• "16,000 Faith Leaders Unite to Support Kamala Harris for President"

 

 

[Chomper Higgot]

43 minutes ago, MarleyMarl said:

If you have any ounce of reason, are a centrist on most issues, you are far right.

For a brand new member that’s not a bad try.

 

However, the far right members of this forum have a habit of frequently posting stuff that is completely void of reason.

 

If you stick around you’ll get the picture.

 

 

Edited August 20 by Chomper Higgot

[oustaristocrats]

10 hours ago, mdr224 said:

And something further…this articles opinion is dumb. The best thing that trump can do for his campaign is to distance himself from these far right social media influencers

 

Yes, that might be true, but what can you do when statistically 25% of your voters belong to these species ?  This is a dilemma for Trump.  These people have no fear of going into a civil war when losing the election.  Even these social media reports, will frighten off the last % of intelligent Republican supporters (ok, except EM), who do no longer want to be identified with these folks.

[Red Forever]

7 hours ago, JonnyF said:

"Far right" appears to be the new "Racist/Fascist".

 

A throwaway comment used to silence people with whom the left disagree.

 

So overused as to become meaningless.😃

 

The 10s of thousands of peaceful citizens who chased the Farridge Rioters off the streets are the good guys. The Farridge Rioters were Racist and Fascist.

Hardly "meaningless" words.

[lou norman]

8 hours ago, JonnyF said:

"Far right" appears to be the new "Racist/Fascist".

 

A throwaway comment used to silence people with whom the left disagree.

 

So overused as to become meaningless.😃

 

Spot on! there is no far-right anymore, its just the "right"

[Red Forever]

7 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

The people that accuse people of being "right wing" apparently have as much idea of what "right wing" actually is, as they do about my left big toe.

Come on then, tell us what right wing means.

BTW I do know the origin of the term.

[Eric Loh]

10 minutes ago, lou norman said:

Spot on! there is no far-right anymore, its just the "right"

A right-wing individual is not far-right until they attacked the capitol to disrupt the results of an election or those seeking violent societal chaos to reach their goals or hold strict attitudes towards other people. There are vast differences between far-right and just "right". 

[GroveHillWanderer]

8 hours ago, JonnyF said:

"Far right" appears to be the new "Racist/Fascist".

 

A throwaway comment used to silence people with whom the left disagree.

 

So overused as to become meaningless.😃

 

So you don't think that for example, advocating for a white ethnostate is an extreme position, located well to the right of the spectrum in politics?

Edited August 20 by GroveHillWanderer

[simple1]

8 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

The people that accuse people of being "right wing" apparently have as much idea of what "right wing" actually is, as they do about my left big toe.

 

There are a number of trump influences who are in fact "far right" - just look up the current meaning. However, you can use the sentiment above for those saying 'the "far left" when some are seeking fairer equity in society such as Medicare, welfare and so on; this seems to be unique to US republican ideologues..

[newnative]

Let's hope they all get so mad at each other that they all decide not to vote in protest.