- The MAGA movement - restoring US greatness
- Reagan was the first to use the phrase "Make America Great Again"
- The MAGA movement has nailed another sensational D. Trump victory
- MAGA and the Republican Party are not the same
The MAGA movement - restoring US greatness
"Make America Great Again", or simply MAGA, is a nativist political movement that originated in the United States decades ago, rose to prominence during the 2016 presidential election campaign, and has become one of Donald Trump's key slogans[1].
MAGA also played a major role in the recent US presidential election campaign, which brought Trump a certain victory: the debate on America's decline and the need to bring the country back to the heights of power and influence dominated many a debate, talk show or interview.
However, although MAGA is spoken about loudly and widely, not even all Americans are really aware of its essence. Contrary to what many younger Americans or people in other countries think, this movement is certainly not Trump's idea, even though it was instrumental in his victory in the 2016 elections.
"The 'Make America Great Again' movement goes back decades and is based on the belief that the United States of America was once a 'great' country and a world power, but that it has lost this status due to foreign influences, both internally, such as immigration and multiculturalism, and externally, such as globalization or the greater integration of several economies.
MAGA supporters tend to believe that this decline can be reversed by a systematic "America First" policy that would ensure greater economic protectionism, reduce immigration, especially from developing countries, and promote what MAGA members see as traditional American values.
While some of the policies advocated by MAGA may involve racial, gender or religious discrimination, the core element of the movement is state protectionism, not culture wars, and some MAGA members tend to distance themselves from controversial and divisive worldviews.
Reagan was the first to use the phrase "Make America Great Again"
A variation of the phrase "Make America Great Again" was first popularised by Republican President Ronald Reagan, who used the phrase "Make America Great Again" as one of several slogans in his 1980 presidential campaign[2].
It is said that Trump decided to resurrect the phrase "Make America Great Again" in November 2012, immediately after Mitt Romney, the former Republican Governor of Massachusetts, lost the 2012 presidential election to Barack Obama.
Trump then applied to trademark the slogan to "promote public awareness of political issues and political fundraising". He published his campaign slogan on the same day he announced that he would seek the Republican nomination for the 2016 presidential election, 16 June 2015. This date can thus be seen as the beginning of the modern MAGA movement.
Trump's move has proved to be highly successful. His election campaign quickly attracted strong support from conservative white working-class voters. For these Americans, Trump's experience as a businessman was a sign that he understood economics, and the fact that he had not previously worked in government indicated that he was not linked to corruption and elitism in Washington.
The MAGA movement has nailed another sensational D. Trump victory
The MAGA movement's peak was probably in the 2016 and 2020 US election campaigns, but some experts have argued that its supporters will not play such a significant role in this year's elections. However, such predictions proved to be wrong. After all, Trump's victory in this election is perfect proof of that.
Trump has been the best example of a political career that has spanned almost 10 years. Trump's political movement has evolved subtly but significantly, which has become apparent in the last election cycle. Although the movement has expanded in less significant directions over time and has included cultural or even social media bubble wars, the main objective has remained the same: to win over the white, non-city dweller, in other words, the average American.
And this election has achieved even more. Data on the 2024 elections show that Trump won 8% and 12% of the black vote in the 2016 and 2020 elections, respectively, and 28% and 32% of the Hispanic vote in the same cycles. In 2024, the data show that Mr Trump has maintained his position among black voters and has even received almost 45% of the Hispanic vote, rising to 54% among Hispanic men. In other words, MAGA cannot be written off simply as populist, nativist rhetoric. Such policies and discourse are becoming increasingly relevant for blacks, Hispanics and other demographic minorities.
MAGA and the Republican Party are not the same
On the other hand, it is useful to remember that MAGA supporters and traditional Republicans are not the same as conservative politicians. MAGA Republicans identify strongly with Trump and see him as a central figure in their movement. The rest of the Republicans identify more with the broader Republican Party and its traditional conservative values than with any one individual.
MAGA Republicans emphasize issues such as immigration and opposition to "globalist" policies, are often skeptical of international organizations and alliances such as NATO and advocate a more isolationist approach, and pay a lot of attention to cultural issues, opposing the so-called "woke" culture. Traditional Republicans favor conservative principles such as the free market, limited government, lower taxes, and a strong national defense.
Despite these differences, MAGA Republicans and traditional Republicans share many core conservative beliefs, such as a preference for lower taxes, opposition to abortion, and strong support for gun rights.
