What Next | Daily News and Analysis TBD | Inside the MAGA Content Mill
10 snips
Oct 17, 2025 Makena Kelly, a senior writer at WIRED specializing in technology and politics, dives into how right-wing influencers are reshaping media narratives under the Trump administration. She discusses the striking contrast between influencers and journalists, revealing how figures like Benny Johnson gain privileged access to promote agendas. The conversation highlights a self-reinforcing content loop on social media, questions the impact of viral propaganda on public opinion, and addresses the risks of content simplification in shaping political discourse.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Influencers Replace Journalists
- The Trump administration embeds right-wing influencers to craft and spread persuasive content rather than invite journalistic scrutiny.
- Makena Kelly says influencers are chosen because their output supports the administration's agenda and convinces audiences.
longtime Protest Documentarians
- Andy Ngo and Cam Higby are longtime protest documentarians who now get tapped by the administration to highlight violent opposition narratives.
- Makena Kelly describes how these figures became part of an ecosystem that the administration leverages.
Viral Cascade Into Mainstream Media
- A single influencer post can cascade through a right-wing network into mainstream cable and shape national narratives.
- Makena Kelly calls it a self-feeding Ouroboros of content that creates viral moments the administration exploits.