One of the main tenets of now-President Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign for the Oval Office was a common phrase…Make America Great Again, or #MAGA. This slogan, borrowed from former President Ronald Reagan’s presidential campaign in the 1980s, suggested that there is (or was) an idealized America that some Americans wanted to get back to.
Although Trump won his bid for the White House against former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton over five months ago, his campaign slogan has continued to permeate both his personal and presidential rhetoric. The President frequently uses the hashtag #MAGA on his own personal Twitter account…
We are going to defend our industry & create a level playing field for the American worker. It is time to put #AmericaFirst & #MAGA! pic.twitter.com/GUWx7JqvCi
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 31, 2017
…and so do his supporters.
The @GOP better grow a spine while we still have a majority and a constitution and stop cowering to the benefit of leftist ideology.#MAGA
— Phil (@phil200269) April 27, 2017
Thank you @SenTedCruz for supporting and believing in our @POTUS 🇺🇸
He WILL #BuildTheWall #IllegalsOut #MAGA pic.twitter.com/auZb4NUaCo
— Lori Hendry (@Lrihendry) April 27, 2017
However, it’s not just Trump’s avid supporters who use #MAGA. In fact, there are a large number of anti-Trump folks on Twitter who have re-appropriated the hashtag to criticize the phrase.
If you voted for Trump, who inspires the Klan and who has the same message as David Duke, yes, you support bigotry. #trump #resist #maga
— Dr. DaShanne Stokes (@DaShanneStokes) April 27, 2017
Trump trolls that have God, Jesus in their bio. Followed by I love guns, I hate Islam, & hashtags like #BuildTheWall #MAGA #HintsYoureInHell
— DoraBitch (@DoraDoubleDD) April 27, 2017
Comedians like Rob Delaney (@robdelaney) are also joining in on criticizing #MAGA, but with a humorous twist.
As you're functionally illiterate, you may not know who John Lewis is. In any case, your "mandate" just *audibly* shrank. #MAGA https://t.co/vStM1yjjRD
— rob delaney (@robdelaney) January 14, 2017
🇺🇸#MAGA🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/fWFcPh5Vpf
— rob delaney (@robdelaney) April 6, 2017
#MAGA is proof that hashtags on Twitter have a great deal of power when it comes to creating a divisive atmosphere, both on Twitter and in real life. Whether you’re a Trump supporter or not, #MAGA has become symbolic of who and what #45 represents as the President of the United States.
I like how you got strong tweets that you picked that shows the true nature of pro-Trump supporters. The thing that some people don’t realize is that Trump there is a wall that is dividing this country. I get what he wants to do, but there are repercussions for how he’s going about it. All he is doing is strengthening the wall that is dividing this country.