Supply: The Washington Submit / Getty
The Darkish MAGA motion is quickly gaining traction within the political sphere, with supporters rallying behind Elon Musk’s management within the Division of Authorities Effectivity (DOGE) and his unofficial advisory position to President Donald Trump because the 78-year-old Republican took workplace.
Per the Related Press, on Feb. 20, Musk was noticed sporting a black variant of the enduring “Make America Nice Once more” hat whereas talking on the Conservative Political Motion Convention (CPAC) in Maryland. As he addressed the group, an awesome sea of black MAGA hats may very well be seen, with Musk, sporting a big chainsaw, black sun shades, and a gold chain alongside together with his cap, additional cementing his rising affect inside conservative circles.
This isn’t the primary time he’s worn the favored hat.
In line with Axios, the gothic-looking black caps, priced at $40, had been first launched through the 2024 marketing campaign. Gross sales skyrocketed after Musk wore one at an October rally and proclaimed himself a part of the “Darkish MAGA” motion. Trump’s marketing campaign has additionally capitalized on the development, promoting matching T-shirts and sweatshirts that raised $1.25 million for his 2024 bid. That quantity skyrocketed after Musk, 53, wore the Darkish MAGA hat, once more, throughout Monday’s CPAC occasion, producing $400,000 in further gross sales, highlighting the industrial and political clout behind the motion.
For a lot of of Musk’s supporters, the black MAGA hat is greater than only a vogue assertion; it symbolizes one thing deeper. On the CPAC rally, some followers had been overheard calling the tech billionaire “a hero” of free speech and “a white knight,” lauding his actions since Trump’s inauguration, as reported by AP Information.
Musk’s quasi-government company, DOGE, has performed a big position in shaping insurance policies, together with the “workforce optimization initiative” signed by President Trump on Feb. 11. In line with USA As we speak, the initiative led to roughly 75,000 federal workers accepting buyouts, adopted by mass layoffs throughout the Division of Schooling, the Division of Homeland Safety, and a number of other different authorities businesses. Many of those cuts affected employees nonetheless of their probationary durations, who’re unable to enchantment their termination. Nevertheless, others, too, had been impacted by the sweeping layoffs.
Along with his efforts in authorities restructuring, Musk has additionally advocated for H-1B visas, which permit U.S. employers to briefly rent extremely expert overseas employees in specialty occupations.
“He’s an genuine and distinctive particular person. I’m glad he’s on the workforce,” Whitney Mason, a 62-year-old actual property agent who was touring from Seattle, instructed AP Information.
Home Speaker, Mike Johnson, echoed an identical sentiment at Monday’s rally. “What Elon and the workforce are doing is what Congress has not had the power to do,” he stated. “They’ve cracked the code. They’re contained in the stomach of the beast of the forms, and the algorithms are crawling via.”
Musk’s affect is poised to develop as Trump continues to publicly help his actions. On Feb. 22, the Republican chief posted on his Reality Social platform, urging Musk to “get extra aggressive” together with his insurance policies.
“REMEMBER, WE HAVE A COUNTRY TO SAVE, BUT ULTIMATELY, TO MAKE GREATER THAN EVER BEFORE. MAGA!” he added.
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