With the last gasps of a Trump defeat, nationalists are morphing toward opposition–and possibly revolution.
With a projected electoral victory for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris along with continued Trump administration maneuvers to undermine the transfer of power, a dramatic shift is visible amongst far-right and nationalist groups in the U.S. As often happens when liberals take the national executive, far-right and nationalist organizations abandon efforts to ingratiate themselves to a ruling conservative government and move toward staunch opposition, often growing their ranks in the process.
During four years of Donald Trump’s racist administration, far-right mainstreaming took many forms, including nationalist paramilitaries like Oath Keepers boosting Trump and providing security at his events; reactionary nationalists like the Proud Boys and Patriot Prayer engaging in street fights in Trump’s name; a bevy of anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim groups gaining access to administration officials; and reactionary groups like Turning Point USA working hand-in-hand with Trump family members.
White nationalist maneuvers across the period took the form of using an “alt-right” framing to draw reactionaries and crass misogynists into their fold; that frame being replaced by self-proclaimed “groypers” voicing tempered support for Trump even as they battled for Trump’s base by out-racist-ing reactionary groups like Turning Point USA; the likes of VDARE harping in glee as Trump advisers like Stephen Miller circulated their literature to bolster his attack on immigrant families and children, and open endorsements from white nationalists rewarded by Trump’s assessment that at least some among them were “good people.”
Following media projections of a Biden-Harris win, the most publicly visible shift toward broad opposition has involved “Stop the Steal” and “Protect the Vote” protests against a Biden-Harris victory, and the upcoming “Million MAGA March” scheduled this weekend in Washington D.C. Within these mobilizations, several patterns are notable.
First, activists with longstanding Tea Party and reactionary resumes have played key roles in these efforts. Prominent players in the StoptheSteal.us effort have included Tea Party Express’ Amy Kremer, Kylie Kremer of Women for America First, Charlie Kirk of Turning Point USA, Scot Pressler, formerly of the anti-Muslim Act for America, crass misogynist Mike Cernovich, and Jack Posobiec of One America News Network, an activist with a history of flirting with actual fascists.
Events promoted by “StoptheSteal” for November 7th took place in at nearly all state capitols, along with other cities, drawing crowds ranging from the “dozens” to “thousands,” with most in the “hundreds,” according to press accounts. Similar events are being promoted for November 14. While an initial StoptheSteal Facebook page that grew to more than 300,000 members was removed by the platform, more than 140 similar groups with some 265,000 members quickly took their place and began promoting events across the country.
“Stop the Steal” Rally in Columbia, South Carolina
Not to be left out, the Tea Party Patriots promoted multiple national events under the moniker of “Protect the Vote.” According to the group, organizations involved in these efforts to date include FreedomWorks, the Gateway Pundit, FreeRepublic.com, MAGA Drag the Interstate, Act for America, Turning Point Action, and Richard Viguerie’s Conservative HQ.[1] A link on the Tea Party Patriots Action page for people to join their local fray links to StoptheSteal.us. In another example, the FreedomWorks Tea Party faction led November 5 “Protect the Vote” rallies targeting cities in key battleground states, including Philadelphia, Detroit, and Phoenix.[2]
Second, while initiated by Tea Party and related groups, attendees and speakers at the events, and those hosting their own versions, have included a broad range of far-right and nationalist tendencies in the U.S. – a fact that has taken place with little to no visible distinction drawn between factions by participants and organizers. Among those promoting and/or attending such events have been Tea Party groups, nationalist paramilitaries such as Three Percenters and Oath Keepers, Proud Boys, Patriot Prayer, anti-Semitic conspiracy theorists like Alex Jones of Infowars, Bikers for Trump, FEC United and the United American Defense Force, Stand Up for America, the anti-vaxxer Freedom Angels, Qanon believers, confederate flag waivers and much more.
Third, these efforts have drawn in white nationalists and their staunchest allies. Prominent among these was Nick Fuentes, the leader of the self-proclaimed groypers, who appeared in Michigan to egg on supporters against both the “stolen” election and Black Lives Matter. Interestingly, after spending the latter portion of the Trump administration assailing Turning Point USA and Charlie Kirk for not pushing attacks on immigrants aggressively enough, groyper activist Vincent James promoted, among other events, an Arizona “Protect the Vote” rally organized by Turning Point Action, the 501(4) formed by Kirk’s Turning Point USA.[3] Michelle Malkin, the conservative pundit who refers to herself as the groyper “mommy,” spoke at a “Stop the Steal” event in Colorado Springs.[4]
A promotional for the upcoming “Million MAGA March” in Washington D.C. continues this pattern, listing groyper activists Nick Fuentes, Jaden McNeil, and Michelle Malkin as “prominent attendees” alongside “Stop the Steal” figures such as Jack Posobiec, Brandon Straka, Mike Cernovich and Scott Presler. Also included are antisemitic conspiracy theorist Alex Jones and his Infowars’ side-kick, Owen Shroyer.[5]
Fourth, less we think this struggle will only take place outside of government, multiple elected officials have promoted these frames and/or appeared at these events. For instance, Republican Qanon conspiracy theorist Marjory Taylor Greene, fresh off a victory in Georgia’s 14th district, took to tweeting “Stop the Steal.” Other elected officials appeared at “Stop the Steal” events. Examples were plentiful in North Dakota, where speakers and attendees included U.S. Senators Kevin Kramer and John Hoeven, U.S Representative Kelly Armstrong, State Auditor Josh Gallion, and Lt. Governor Brent Sanford. In Idaho, state representatives Aaron von Ehlinger (R-Lewiston) and Tammy Nichols (R-Middleton) attended such a rally.[6]
Fifth, another reservoir of support for these efforts is coming from within the many “reopen” groups that formed to oppose to oppose COVID-19-related restrictions. Examples of members promoting these events inside what originally were “reopen” groups include Virginians for Constitutional Rights 2020, #FreeTN, Reopen Washington State, Oklahomans Against Tyranny, Nevada Citizens for Liberty & Prosperity, and Stand Up Delaware. [7]
Finally, the shift of varied nationalists from jockeying for government access, or cajoling a potentially sympathetic Trump administration to adopt their framework, to opposing the outcome of the election, offers a rich context for the radicalization of segments of the far right. The prospect of an election broadly defined as “stolen” by “conspirators,” and a government viewed as even more illegitimate than before, is, in-and-of-itself, the stuff of transforming racist and violent reactionaries into racist revolutionaries. The solid presence of white nationalists and antisemitic conspiracy theorists in the fray adds to this possibility, a dynamic that could help push some in the movement from reactionary politics toward a revolutionary fascism. Ideas of societal and government decay, social pessimism at its salvageability, and the need for a nationalist revival to bring about a new government were common threads in interwar Europe that saw the foot soldiers of reaction fill the ranks of fascist revolution.
On the radicalization potential of the election outcome, we can look at Ammon Bundy People’s Rights. People’s Rights associates supporting and/or attending such rallies included Washington State area assistant Ruby Lefeau, Florida area assistant Chris Nelson, and fellow traveler Sara Brady in Idaho. [8]
In a November 5 introduction to the group, theocratic-minded People’s Rights figure Diego Rodriquez voiced support for Trump and alleged that there had been “a lot of conspiracy and fraud going on” in the election. Bundy followed by describing that, as a result, “I’m like right on the verge of whether I believe that we can be restored back to our current power structure, and it can be corrected, and the corruption can be cleaned up… [W]e have deteriorated to a point, over really the last hundred years, that I’m not sure that we can return.”[9]
Bundy concluded that his movement must be able to counter both “street criminals” and “government criminals,” the distinction being that “One steals your purse, and the other steals your country. And People’s Rights is organized, and the network is there, to defend against both.”[10]
Ammon Bundy shows off one of People’s Rights’ “resources” for the post-election context
In response to a listener question about whether People’s Rights is affiliated, or sides with, any militias. Bundy answered, “Yes,” described that some militias have been using People’s Rights “educational” tools, and elaborated his vision of an armed network:
“But one thing also that I have been informed of when it comes to people who understand about militias, and about defense, a lot better than I do, and that is… they’ve informed me that the best way to defend yourself is in small units, right, small units, so your family, you know, they’re equipped, your family is, and maybe a couple of your close neighbors, they’re equipped, they’re able to communicate, they’ve got radio equipment, they’ve got gear, to actually defend. And then they’re connected with a whole bunch of other small groups, small units, if you will. And so they can act together, independently, and so sometimes the idea of going and joining a big militia, need to be a big part of the hoopla, and they have, you know, a really great website, sometimes necessarily is not the most important thing. Remember militia is the people…So you don’t need to join a great big militia, but you need to get with your local people, maybe just your family, maybe a few others, keep it probably under 10, and get yourself equipped, get yourself trained, start practicing… know how to defend a home, know how to defend an area, know how to get your high spots, and all of that, and work together as small units, and then communicate with others (sic) people in (sic) working together in other small units, so when theres a need to come together.”[11]
While Bundy had articulated a need for neighborhood-level organizing before the election, this vision is now expressed in the context of his view that a return to the pre-existing political and social structure is likely not possible. Some in People’s Rights have advocated replacing existing policing structures with a “constitutional” Posse Comitatus-style state – one that would potentially combine national-level Trump-style crackdowns on immigrants, Muslims, black civil rights groups, and leftists with a localized battle against the “wicked” as far-right paramilitaries are integrated into a new state.
This is the stuff of far-right, nationalist, and potentially fascist revolution.
It also the stuff of nightmares.
We must vigilantly build our own mass base as well as our capacity to defend neighborhoods and targeted communities to prepare for the storm that is coming.
[1] Tea Party Patriots Action. https://www.teapartypatriots.org/protect-the-vote/. Accessed November 6, 2020.
[2] Tea Party Patriots. Facebook. November 5, 2020. https://www.facebook.com/teapartypatriots/posts/10157629814585779
[3] Schwartz, Brian. Pro-Trump college GOP activists Charlie Kirk will launch a new group to target Democrats in 2020. CNBC. May 20, 2019. https://www.cnbc.com/2019/05/20/pro-trump-activist-charlie-kirk-to-launch-new-group-to-target-democrats.html; James, Vincent. Telegram. November 5, 2020. https://t.me/RealVincentJames/6551
[4] Colorado Newsline. Trump Supporters Defiant During Colorado Springs Protest. Patch. November 9, 2020. https://patch.com/colorado/colorado-springs/trump-supporters-defiant-during-colorado-springs-protest
[5] Million Maga March attendees.
[6] Suppe, Ryan and Tommy Simmons. Trump supporters gather for ‘Stop the Steal’ rally in Boise. Idaho Press. November 7, 2020. https://www.idahopress.com/news/local/trump-supporters-gather-for-stop-the-steal-rally-in-boise/article_2110cb2a-35c6-52ba-a753-336ad7b8bef3.html; Roos, Meghan. Qanon-linked candidates inl Georgia amplify Trump’s voter fraud claims. Newsweek. November 7, 2020. https://www.newsweek.com/qanon-linked-candidates-georgia-amplify-trumps-voter-fraud-claims-1545801; Turley, Jeremy. Trump supporters, ND politicians turn out in full force at testy Bismarck rally. Grand Forks Herald. November 7, 2020. https://www.grandforksherald.com/news/government-and-politics/6753163-Trump-supporters-ND-politicians-turn-out-in-full-force-at-testy-Bismarck-rally.
[7] Virginians for Constitutional Rights 2020. Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/groups/ReopenVirginia/permalink/287606672627814/; #FreeTN. Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/groups/916883975409029/permalink/1076638609433564/; Oklahomans Against Tyranny. Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/groups/2688011971523493/permalink/2885372965120725/; Nevada Citizens for Liberty & Prosperity. Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/groups/NevadaCLP/permalink/3883468308369961/; Stand Up Delaware. Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/groups/229402688129356/permalink/369534254116198/; Lefeau, Ruby. Facebook. November 9, 2020. https://www.facebook.com/RubyLefeau/posts/10224845051056684.
[8] Suppe, Ryan and Tommy Simmons. Trump supporters gather for ‘Stop the Steal’ rally in Boise. Idaho Press. November 7, 2020. https://www.idahopress.com/news/local/trump-supporters-gather-for-stop-the-steal-rally-in-boise/article_2110cb2a-35c6-52ba-a753-336ad7b8bef3.html; Lefeau, Ruby. Facebook. November 9, 2020. https://www.facebook.com/RubyLefeau/posts/10224845051056684; Nelson, Chris. Facebook. November 13, 2020. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=3150500031844185&set=a.1407276986166507&type=3
[9] People’s Rights. November 5, 2020. https://www.peoplesrights.org/webcast110520.php.
[10] Ibid.
[11] Ibid.
