I’ve Been Receiving Texts From MAGA.

By Nicole.

For the last few years, I’ve witnessed how MAGA communicates with their constituents through—what should be considered—spam emails and text messages. Although I believe no individual is truly immune to propaganda, their marketing techniques are more akin to that of a cult (no surprise there) rather than a political movement. 

To provide some context, I come from a family with a wide range of political perspectives—and by extension, a family whose phones have been intentionally linked (courtesy of my parents who, very lovingly, read all of my text messages) for the last decade. As I’ve sifted through the various shared Facebook posts that are clearly intended for my mother, I’ve come to notice the rampant GOP messaging that someone in this family is being targeted by.

One can cite the various forms of subliminal messaging we see voiced from the mouths of influencers who seek to propagate right-wing political perspectives under the veil of traditionalism or “aesthetic clean-girl lifestyles”, and I feel that often times, we presume that political propaganda will be stylized in this manner—we expect our daily dose of propaganda to be subdued and classically difficult to disseminate—MAGA messages are anything but.

To illustrate my point, I’ve included the entire excerpt of a message sent out last Monday.

“Patriot, THIS IS A ONE-TIME MESSAGE FROM THE MAGA ADVISORY BOARD..”

Newsflash. It wasn't a one-time message.

“..President Trump needs counsel from his strongest supporters. That’s why we reached out to you first.

Why haven’t you accepted yet??

We’ve called. We’ve texted, and seen NO RESPONSE. You’ve always been a top-tier supporter. We were SHOCKED to not see your name with the others.

We’re giving you ONE more chance to join the MAGA Advisory Board and give feedback on the Trump administration.

This is the most prestigious list of the MAGA faithful. Senior counsel to the President is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

You read that correctly. Apparently, Trump’s been selecting his cabinet members (sarcasm, if that wasn’t clear) from the very qualified pool of elderly Marylanders who barely understand how to work their phone, let alone remove their number from spam lists. If only I’d known—perhaps I could’ve finagled my way into an administration that clearly needs a lesson or two on the Constitution. And frankly, my experience as a 22-year old Minecraft enthusiast supersedes the qualifications of everyone in that room. The bar clearly wasn’t very high in the first place.

But that’s not all. This wonderfully-manipulative and unprofessional political message has been accompanied by—not one, not two—but at minimum SIX text messages a day, all sent within an hour of one another. 

“FRIEND REQUEST ALERT. Donald J. Trump just sent YOU a request.”

is all of MAGA in a parasocial relationship with DJT

“I can’t believe they chose YOU, [your name]. You’ve been appointed to the MAGA Advisory Board!”

can’t wait to join the cabinet—do you think Russell Vought will try to freeze my donations to the people of Ukraine, too?

“God help you, [your name]. Your MAGA membership is on the line & you still haven’t acted!”

God, if you exist, free me from this mortal cage so I stop receiving these stupid texts

“I told GOP leadership you’d be confirmed for 2026. But we’re almost a month in and you’re nowhere.”

i’m trying my hardest to be anywhere but wherever these politicians infest

“It costs so much to send these texts to you, [your name]

could donate that money in support of the 48 million Americans facing food insecurity—but what do I know?

If it isn’t blatantly obvious, these kinds of communication tactics contrast the usual political messaging heavily. Historically, we were used to professionalism—or at the very least, the illusion of professionalism—and although fear mongering is not an unseen strategy, this psychological game that intends to establish a sense of superiority in their audience, only to prey upon that newfound ego feels hauntingly parallel to how cultists cultivate unquestioning loyalty amongst their followers. 

The thing I find most terrifying is how frequent these messages are sent. Imagine: you’re a retiree sitting at home, void of the mental stimulation that comes with being forced to work, and your phone—a device already built to be as addictive as possible—continuously buzzes with “THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES WANTS YOU, KIND (AND EASILY MANIPULATED) CITIZEN TO BE HIS CLOSEST ALLY!!!!!”. 

Seems like a pretty blatant attempt at propagandizing the vulnerable—but we’ve witnessed this playbook for years now. Spread misinformation and destabilize trust in the media and in educational institutions. Covertly increase every citizen’s everyday stressors. Overwhelm their sensory enviornment—cultivate addictions to screens and subdue critical thinking. Then, when they’re at their most vulnerable, take advantage of the mere exposure effect—a psychological phenomenon frequently capitalized upon by advertisers, who know the more you repeatedly see something, the more likely you are to view it positively—and berate your constituents with messaging that makes them feel powerful and important, because those who feel deprived of visibility will answer every beck and call when they finally feel seen.

With all the work we’ve put into propaganda, you’ll finally have a population of people who are willing to ignore their eyes and dismiss their ears, solely to maintain their loyalty to you. Build up your constituent’s capacity for cognitive dissonance, and as they continue to read these intricately (yet brazenly) crafted messages, they’ll not only devote themselves to you more, but they’ll feel like everything going on around them is completely normal.

The normalcy of this kind of communication is what really knots my stomach. Millions of people are receiving these texts a day—and even if you’re not a Trump supporter, think about how little surprise we feel when reading another one of Trump’s toilet rants. Insanity has been blared into our ears and eyes for so long, that we expect it—and that’s incredibly dangerous territory. If we as non-supporters can cognitively feel the normalization of propaganda, I can only wonder what it’s like to be MAGA: where nothing feels off at all. 

It’s no wonder it can be so difficult to approach conversations with Trump supporters. I remember when I first came to Kansas, I tried to spark discussions with every pro-Trump individual I met—which in itself, is a privilege. Not every conversation was successful, but I found that with those willing to talk, the information we each received was starkly different. Their social media pages were filled with misinformation, excusing each unconstitutional action we’ve seen from the Trump administration. Their feeds told them that Trump had sacrificed an income to serve them as the President, but excluded the fact that his net worth has nearly tripled in the last year since taking office. They’ve been told that Renee Nicole Good was shot in self-defense, framing the filmed footage as evidence, omitting the reality that she was a U.S citizen, posing no threat aside from exercising the rights we are all awarded in this country. 

The truth is that there are many people living in the United States—and much of us are living in completely different realities. We are divided by socioeconomics, identity and beliefs, but we are also divided by our perceived timelines of modern history in the making. 

I completely understand that it is difficult having conversations with people who contrast our beliefs so heavily. I will never advocate for trying to have a discussion with an individual who doesn’t even view you as an equal human being. But, through my talks here in Kansas, I’ve come to realize that not everyone is a lost cause—and the only way we fight against this machine of misinformation is by having these conversations. 

Some of the people I spoke to would have never been introduced to the realities we witness in the news, if not for agreeing to have a conversation. It’s incredibly unfortunate, but simultaneously, it’s an intentional consequence of the Trump administration’s communication tactics. If we live in completely different timelines, we can never band together as constituents to fight against their oppression—it is the essence of the imperialist handbook: divide and conquer. I refuse to let our people be conquered by people who don’t give a sh*t about us.

Spark those conversations—and even if it isn’t with someone who opposes your views, scream your thoughts loud and proud for the people of the world. The more we talk, the more we flood out the sea of misinformation plaguing our media landscape. They cannot quiet those who refuse to be silenced. 

Written by a human—no AI was used in the creation of this piece.