Make America Great Again

"Make America Great Again"

"Make America Great Again!" sign used during Trump's 2016 presidential campaign

"Make America Great Again" sign used during Trump's 2024 presidential campaign

"Make America Great Again" (MAGA, US: /ˈmæɡə/)^[1] is an American political slogan most recently popularized by Donald Trump during his successful presidential campaigns in 2016 and in 2024. "MAGA" is also used to refer to Trump's ideology, political base, or to an individual or group of individuals from within that base. The slogan became a pop culture phenomenon, seeing widespread use and spawning numerous variants in the arts, entertainment and politics, being used by both supporters and opponents of Trump's presidency and as the name of the Super PAC Make America Great Again Inc.^[2]

Originally used by Ronald Reagan as a campaign slogan in his 1980 presidential campaign (Let's Make America Great Again), it has since been described as a loaded phrase. It has been described as a slogan representing American exceptionalism and promoting an idealistic or romanticized American past that excludes certain groups.^[3] Multiple scholars, journalists, and commentators have called the slogan racist, regarding it as dog-whistle politics and coded language.^[8]

^ The Telegraph (May 30, 2020). Donald Trump: 'MAGA loves the black people' responding to race protests (YouTube video). Event occurs at 0:00. Archived from the original on October 23, 2020. Retrieved October 13, 2020.
^ "Make America Great Again Inc Profile: Summary". OpenSecrets. Retrieved January 20, 2025.
^ "Making America Exceptional Again: Donald Trump's Traditionalist Jeremiad, Civil Religion, and the Politics of Resentment". October 15, 2021.
^ Melton, Marissa (August 31, 2017). "Is 'Make America Great Again' Racist?". Voice of America. Archived from the original on October 18, 2020. Retrieved October 25, 2020.
^ Shamus, Kristen Jordan (January 24, 2019). "MAGA hats: Trump campaign swag or symbols of hate?". Detroit Free Press. Archived from the original on November 7, 2020. Retrieved October 25, 2020.
^ Abcarian, Robin (February 5, 2019). "MAGA hats and blackface are different forms of expression, but they share a certain unfortunate DNA". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on October 27, 2020. Retrieved October 25, 2020.
^ Solnit, Rebecca (2018). Call Them by Their True Names: American Crises (and Essays). Haymarket Books. Trump's slogan, 'Make America great again', seemed to invoke a return to a Never Never Land of white male supremacy, where coal was an awesome fuel, blue-color manufacturing jobs were what they had been in 1956, women belong in the home, and the needs of white men were paramount.
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[1] The Telegraph (May 30, 2020). Donald Trump: 'MAGA loves the black people' responding to race protests (YouTube video). Event occurs at 0:00. Archived from the original on October 23, 2020. Retrieved October 13, 2020.

[2] "Make America Great Again Inc Profile: Summary". OpenSecrets. Retrieved January 20, 2025.

[3] "Making America Exceptional Again: Donald Trump's Traditionalist Jeremiad, Civil Religion, and the Politics of Resentment". October 15, 2021.

[Melton_2017-4] Melton, Marissa (August 31, 2017). "Is 'Make America Great Again' Racist?". Voice of America. Archived from the original on October 18, 2020. Retrieved October 25, 2020.

[Shamus_2019-5] Shamus, Kristen Jordan (January 24, 2019). "MAGA hats: Trump campaign swag or symbols of hate?". Detroit Free Press. Archived from the original on November 7, 2020. Retrieved October 25, 2020.

[Abcarian_2019-6] Abcarian, Robin (February 5, 2019). "MAGA hats and blackface are different forms of expression, but they share a certain unfortunate DNA". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on October 27, 2020. Retrieved October 25, 2020.

[7] Solnit, Rebecca (2018). Call Them by Their True Names: American Crises (and Essays). Haymarket Books. Trump's slogan, 'Make America great again', seemed to invoke a return to a Never Never Land of white male supremacy, where coal was an awesome fuel, blue-color manufacturing jobs were what they had been in 1956, women belong in the home, and the needs of white men were paramount.

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