A new update to Elon Musk’s X platform has exposed numerous MAGA influencer accounts as being run by foreign actors.
Last week, X introduced a new feature called “About this account” which allows social media users to discover where an account is based, if it is using a VPN, and when it was set up.
After the update rolled out, dozens of popular right-wing accounts that comment on U.S. politics were exposed as being run from places including Nigeria, Chile, Russia, and Asian countries.
Highlights
- X's new 'About this account' feature reveals that many MAGA influencer accounts are run by foreign actors from Nigeria, Chile, Russia, and Asia.
- Several MAGA accounts manually claim U.S. locations to appear authentic, but originate from places like Eastern Europe, Bangladesh, and Turkey.
- Democratic influencer Harry Sisson hailed the update as a vindication of warnings about foreign interference in U.S. politics.
- Right-wing commentator Matt Walsh urged followers to aggressively oppose foreign-run MAGA accounts influencing American politics.
Several MAGA influencer accounts are not based in the U.S.
Image credits: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
Many of those accounts were highlighted by Democratic influencer Harry Sisson, who shared screenshots in a thread on X.
“This is easily one of the greatest days on this platform,” Sisson wrote Sunday.
“Seeing all of these MAGA accounts get exposed as foreign actors trying to destroy the United States is a complete vindication of Democrats, like myself and many on here, who have been warning about this.”
MAGA Scope, which bills itself as a fan-run political commentary account following Donald Trump and American politics, is based in Nigeria and was set up in April 2024.
The account AmericanPatriot, said to be based in Chile but using a VPN, has manually added “U.S Republic - Florida” to its bio.
One page set up in December 2024 has changed its name three times and is now describing itself as a fan account for the late Conservative commentator Charlie Kirk.
The page, Charlie’s Voice Rising, is actually based in Eastern Europe, and it too has manually added “United States” to its page bio in an apparent attempt to dupe users into believing it is not based abroad.
“Standing strong with President Trump | America First | Patriot Voice for We The People,” MAGA Nation’s bio on X reads.
But despite telling its nearly 400,000 followers it is an America-first account, the page is run from Eastern Europe and was set up in April 2024, changing its name five times since then.
A similar account, called America First, is based in Bangladesh and joined in March of this year.
Another account, The General, describes itself as being run by an American patriot and regularly posts right-wing views to 140k followers, and is based in Turkey.
It has also manually added the United States as a location in the page bio, and community notes are now warning other users.
Many of the accounts manually added the U.S. as a location in the bio
“This account is based in Turkey and is claiming to be in the United States based on their bio info. They are purposely trying to create a divide between Americans whilst trying to make money via X,” the note on several of the account’s posts reads.
American right-wing political commentator and podcast host Matt Walsh slammed the accounts in several X posts and urged his followers to “bully them mercilessly until they shut up and leave us alone.”
“If you aren’t from this country: We don’t care what you think about American politics. We don’t care what you think about American culture. We don’t care what you think about American elections. Your grift is over. Focus on your own problems,” Walsh wrote.
However, Bier also warned that there are “a few rough edges that will be resolved by Tuesday.”
“If any data is incorrect, it will be updated periodically based on best available information. This happens on a delayed and randomized schedule to preserve privacy,” Bier said.