Slate News What Next - SchadenFriday: The Week MAGA Turned Cringe
Feb 13, 2026
Brian Beutler, political journalist and founder of Off-Message, weighs in on whether Donald Trump ever truly owned culture. He traces a moment when MAGA seemed culturally dominant and then maps how influencers, backlash to pressure on entertainers, and moments like the Bad Bunny controversy shifted the tide. Short, incisive takes on timing, social media, and cultural power.
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Trump Losing Cultural Grip
- Brian Beutler realized this week that Donald Trump has likely lost cultural dominance after earlier signs suggested otherwise.
- He links the perception to social media dynamics and a shifting cultural battleground that no longer reliably favors MAGA.
The Illusion Of Cultural Control
- Beutler argues Trump’s apparent cultural strength was partly a mirage aided by social media tilts and Biden-era dynamics.
- He suggests influencers and small creators reshaped culture, often leaning more conservative than old media stars.
Backlash Against Media Pressure
- The turning point came when Trump tried to pressure media companies, like pushing to get Jimmy Kimmel off the air, and met backlash.
- That pushback signaled limits to using economic threats to control cultural figures.