New partnership 'shocks many on the right' — and is dire sign for MAGA: analyst

With Charlie Kirk gone, the battle for the future of the Make America Great Again movement is facing a schism as right-wing influencers who have targeted young conservatives seek to scoop up his mantle and make it their own.

With that in mind, Salon political analyst Sophia Tesfaye claimed an alliance between far-right gadfly Nick Fuentes and his army of younger “groypers,” and former Tucker Carlson and his elderly Fox News supporters who followed him into the wilderness after he was unceremoniously fired, could splinter MAGA and make President Donald Trump’s life miserable.

As Tesfaye pointed out, it was not that long ago when Carlson labeled Fuentes a “weird little gay kid in his basement,” but that is all in the past now with Kirk assassinated, TPUSA struggling to find its footing and a wealth of far-right conservatives looking for a new home.

Pointing out that Fuentes and Carlson have put the past in the past and seem to have formed an alliance after the former Fox News pundit told his counterpart, “You won” control of the growing movement, the Salon analyst wrote that the turn of events has “shocked many on the right” and churned up no small amount of turmoil — which is “bad” news for Trump.

As she wrote, “While none of this GOP infighting is the least bit surprising, it is revealing. Trump’s political strength depends on coalitional unity — at least rhetorically — of a broad ‘anti-establishment’ right. Carlson understands that Fuentes’ mission is Trumpian at its core. But while folding Fuentes into the GOP tent makes sense for short-term peace, it’s a surefire way to impede any successor to Trump.”

Far-right influencers are disturbed by the partnership, with longtime conservative Dinesh D’Souza writing on X. “One can only imagine what Charlie would say about Tucker’s butt-licking interview with Fuentes.”

“Every single thing about this is the polar opposite of how Charlie Kirk debated people who disagreed with him,” Megan McCain added.

Tesfaye added, the controversy has already had an impact on how Vice President J.D. Vance speaks.

“That’s why Vice President JD Vance is so careful not to ostracize any young Republican, no matter how racist and hateful their text messages may be. He knows that Fuentes is attacking him as a ‘race traitor’ for marrying the daughter of Indian immigrants,” she wrote.

“That’s why Vance was one of the only prominent GOP politicians who did not send a “Happy Diwali” message; he is acutely aware that even a simple acknowledgment would further inflame the white nationalist crowd. And that’s why Carlson made no mention of Fuentes’ racist attacks against Vance’s family while interviewing him."