In Trump 2.0, MAGA-aligned influencers and media emerge as the new mainstream

For decades, Republicans railed against what they saw as a liberal media establishment shaping American politics from the left.

Nearly a year into U.S. President Donald Trump’s second term, that narrative is flipping. A new constellation of influencers, billionaire moguls and social-media platforms – many embracing or amplifying White House themes – is pulling the nation’s information ecosystem to the right.

Right-wing influencers and conservative media personalities, often working in lockstep with Trump officials, have become a potent force in a widening campaign of retribution against perceived enemies of the Trump administration. Empowered by ownership and technology shifts in the media and bolstered by financial incentives, these figures help discredit Trump’s rivals and amplify his administration’s talking points and false claims, blurring boundaries between official messaging and private-sector news and opinion.