Liz Truss, Steve Bannon and Tucker Carlson? Exploring the Ex- PM's Foray for the Maga Movement

Liz Truss, kicked off the premiere of her online program with a pledge to reveal "those with ill intent" working to undermine Western democracies. She explained she would reveal how an "worldwide alliance of liberal activists work to undermine democracy and the will of the people."

"We will examine the Maga phenomenon and understand how it can be achieved in Britain," she said. "Our guests will include the key figures of the Maga movement."

In advance of the program's debut, there was a strong advocate. "This is the beginning of a sort of transformation," remarked John Solomon. His media outlet Just the News will host the Truss's new audio shows.

Building Connections in the Maga Media Ecosystem

Compatriot supporters, featuring a advisor linked to Reform UK, assisted in her launch the Truss's program. The setup is adequate, if basic. Truss has amassed ten thousand followers in her first week and her premiere had 67,000 views across the same period.

This represents a small opening, but in aligning with Solomon, Truss is being entering a well-developed political media sphere generating and disseminating Make America Great Again themes. Its obsessions include alleged censorship by the mainstream media and a goal to eradicate a so-called administrative state – a force that Truss blames for the abrupt termination of her calamitous premiership.

"The platform is not well-known outside of the Maga-verse, but it does have influence there, largely because of its founder, who gives commentary on pro-Trump shows like Bannon's 'War Room' podcast and has even spoken with the former president," said Professor Alex Hinton, who has closely studied the Make America Great Again phenomenon.

A Contentious Ally

The former PM's foray to transplant the pro-Trump media model to the UK has aligned her more closely to divisive personalities such as the journalist.

He founded the platform in the wake of backlash after he was accused of circulating inaccurate reports about Biden's anti-corruption work in the Ukraine, as well as disputed reports about ex-ambassador to Ukraine.

These allegations were echoed throughout the pro-Trump outlets, with Solomon serving as a regular guest on Sean Hannity's influential cable news broadcast. Trump himself endorsed Solomon's reporting.

Solomon made the allegations regarding Ukraine in a series of columns for the publication the Hill, where he had already been moved to a columnist role when staffers raised concerns regarding his reporting. His claims were central in Trump's demand for the Ukrainians to probe the Bidens in 2019. These actions culminated in articles of impeachment targeting Donald Trump. The Senate later acquitted the then-president.

Shortly after he exited the Hill in autumn 2019, the news organization stated it was performing a review of his reporting about Ukrainian matters. It found Solomon had used untrustworthy contacts and stated he "failed to identify crucial information about main Ukrainian informants, such as the fact that they had been formally accused or were being probed."

Entering the Ecosystem

The journalist's personal media appearances are a indication of the political media environment Truss is entering. He discussed his backing of Truss's project on a show he co-hosts on the conservative cable network, a conservative television outlet that is home to the Maga influencer former adviser Steve Bannon and on which former Fox host Tucker Carlson also features. Truss has already spoken with Bannon on one of her first podcasts.

In linking up with Solomon and Just the News, she has become a small part in a much wider network of right-wing publications that frequently cross-promote stories.

The journalist's broadcasts have frequently included individuals such as commentator Mike Benz, a rightwing influencer whose disparagement of the US Agency for International Development was cited by Elon Musk as reasoning behind closing the foreign aid agency.

A Global Media Play

Although the former PM's unnatural presentation and career difficulties have been mocked within the UK, certain American analysts do not dismiss her bid to revamp her image as a local version of the Maga media.

"One must regard people like Truss with seriousness, despite the fact that you may not want to interpret them word-for-word," said a Democratic strategist, who served in the Biden administration.

"It was evident how in 2024 President Trump leveraged that ecosystem to disseminate his views. Undoubtedly that network exports and influences discourse overseas. It looks fairly obvious to me that the conditions in the United Kingdom are akin to what permitted this parallel press sphere to thrive in the US."

Professor Alan Finlayson, said the internet-based conservative network was already exerting influence in Britain.

"Digital media knows no borders," he said. "There's a kind environment within which ideas travel – at times manifesting in radical ways and occasionally in softer tones – but which is interlinked."

Hinton said the expansion of the digital conservative movement in the UK in recent times meant the "chance to have a growing impact is significant."

Cross-Atlantic Aspirations

"The former PM and Nigel Farage recently were featured at the Conservative Political Action Conference, where I observed they echoed pro-Trump themes ahead of the {king of Maga|

Robert Martin
Robert Martin

A digital strategist with over a decade of experience in tech consulting, passionate about helping businesses leverage emerging technologies for sustainable growth.