Bannon, Carlson and... Liz Truss? Inside the Former PM's Attempt for Make America Great Again

Liz Truss, kicked off the inaugural episode of her video series with a vow to expose "the evil-doers" working to bring down Western democracies. She explained she would reveal how an "global web of liberal activists operate to subvert popular rule and the will of the people."

"Our focus will be on the Trump revolution and observe how this can be accomplished in Britain," she said. "We will interview the key figures of the Trumpist political sphere."

Before the series premiere, there was one particularly enthusiastic supporter. "This is the beginning of a kind of revolution," remarked the controversial US journalist. His conservative Just the News platform will carry the former prime minister's new podcasts.

Forging Alliances in the Maga Media Ecosystem

UK-based allies, including a advisor linked to Reform UK, assisted in her set up the her new show. The setup is professional, if somewhat rudimentary. Truss has amassed ten thousand followers in her debut week and her first episode had tens of thousands of views during that week.

This marks a humble beginning, but in partnering with John Solomon, the former PM is being thrust into a well-developed political media sphere generating and disseminating Maga talking points. Central preoccupations include accusations of information control by the traditional news outlets and a goal to remove a conspiratorial 'deep state' – which the ex-PM holds responsible for the swift end of her calamitous premiership.

"Solomon's outlet is not well-known outside of the Maga-verse, but it does have credibility there, mostly due to John Solomon, who gives commentary on conservative outlets like Bannon's 'War Room' podcast and has even spoken with Trump," said Professor Alex Hinton, who has extensively researched the Make America Great Again phenomenon.

A Divisive Associate

Her effort to import Maga media to the UK has pushed her closer to divisive personalities such as the journalist.

He set up Just the News following backlash after he was accused of circulating inaccurate reports about the President's actions in the Ukraine, as well as controversial stories about one-time diplomat to the region.

His claims were repeated within the conservative press, with the journalist appearing as a frequent visitor on the prominent Fox News show. The former president personally boosted the journalist's work.

The journalist published the allegations regarding Ukraine in a set of articles for the outlet The Hill, where he had already been re-labelled as a columnist following internal criticism about his work. His claims were key in Trump's pressure for the Ukrainians to look into the Biden family in 2019. This pressure culminated in impeachment proceedings against Trump. The US Senate later acquitted the commander-in-chief.

Shortly after Solomon left the publication in autumn 2019, the news organization stated it was carrying out a assessment of his reporting concerning Ukrainian matters. It determined he had used unreliable sources and noted he "did not disclose key facts about main Ukrainian informants, such as the fact that they had been charged or were under investigation."

Joining the Network

The journalist's personal broadcast spots are a indication of the political media environment Liz Truss is entering. He discussed his endorsement of Truss's project on a show he co-hosts on the right-wing channel, a political media platform that is where you find the conservative firebrand former adviser Steve Bannon and on which former Fox host Tucker Carlson also appears. Truss has already interviewed Steve Bannon on a debut installment.

In linking up with Solomon and Just the News, the former leader has become a small part in a broader ecosystem of pro-Trump platforms that often share and promote one another's material.

The journalist's programs have frequently included personalities such as commentator Mike Benz, a rightwing influencer whose arguments against the US Agency for International Development was used by Elon Musk as grounds for dismantling the international development organization.

An International Strategy

Although the former PM's unnatural presentation and political travails have invited ridicule within the UK, a number of stateside commentators do not dismiss her bid to rebrand as a British branch of the pro-Trump media ecosystem.

"You have to take people like Truss with seriousness, despite the fact that you may not want to interpret them word-for-word," commented Rob Flaherty, who worked in the Biden administration.

"You saw how in the recent campaign the former president used that media network to disseminate his views. Without a doubt that sphere transmits and affects conversation internationally. It appears quite apparent to me that the environment in the United Kingdom are akin to what permitted this non-mainstream media network to prosper in America."

Alan Finlayson, said the digital right-wing media sphere was already having an impact in the United Kingdom.

"The internet is borderless," he stated. "There exists a sort of milieu within which ideas travel – on occasion appearing in harsh versions and sometimes less so – but which is interlinked."

Professor Hinton said the rise of the digital conservative movement in the UK recently meant the "possibility to have a growing impact is considerable."

Global Goals

"The former PM and Nigel Farage recently appeared at the Conservative Political Action Conference, where I saw they hit Maga talking points ahead of the {king of Maga|

Mark Nelson
Mark Nelson

A seasoned poker strategist with over a decade of experience in UK gaming circles, specializing in online tournament play.