More than a decade into his political ascent, it’s remarkable how thoroughly the lesson of Donald Trump has been internalized by the apparatus around him. Now, running low on new ideas and facing mounting public frustration over inflation, war and institutional decay, his MAGA movement is returning to its roots: reality television.
The shape of MAGA’s current media theory looks to convert governance into a content vertical. Driven by a right-wing media ecosystem that rewards digital engagement, the central idea is that the performance of authenticity replaces the need for accountability. The latest examples are almost too on-the-nose to parody. In Los Angeles, a former MTV personality is running a mayoral campaign built around TMZ confrontations. Another, a current Trump administration official, filmed a corporate-sponsored family travel show while serving in government.
