"Make America Great Again" (MAGA, US: /ˈmæɡə/)[1] is an American political slogan and political movement most recently popularized by Donald Trump during his successful presidential campaigns in 2016 and in 2024. "MAGA" is also used to refer to Trump's political base, or to an individual or group of individuals from within that base. The slogan became a pop culture phenomenon, seeing widespread use and spawning numerous variants in the arts, entertainment and politics, being used by both supporters and opponents of Trump's presidency. Originally used by Ronald Reagan as a campaign slogan in his 1980 presidential campaign (Let's Make America Great Again), it has since been described as a loaded phrase. Multiple scholars, journalists, and commentators have called the slogan racist, regarding it as dog-whistle politics and coded language.[6]
- ^ The Telegraph (May 30, 2020). Donald Trump: 'MAGA loves the black people' responding to race protests (YouTube video). Event occurs at 0:00.
- ^ Melton, Marissa (August 31, 2017). "Is 'Make America Great Again' Racist?". Voice of America. Retrieved October 25, 2020.
- ^ Shamus, Kristen Jordan (January 24, 2019). "MAGA hats: Trump campaign swag or symbols of hate?". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved October 25, 2020.
- ^ Abcarian, Robin (February 5, 2019). "MAGA hats and blackface are different forms of expression, but they share a certain unfortunate DNA". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 25, 2020.
- ^ Solnit, Rebecca (2018). Call Them by Their True Names: American Crises (and Essays). Haymarket Books.
Trump's slogan, 'Make America great again', seemed to invoke a return to a Never Never Land of white male supremacy, where coal was an awesome fuel, blue-color manufacturing jobs were what they had been in 1956, women belong in the home, and the needs of white men were paramount.
- ^ [2][3][4][5]