MAGA hat

MAGA hat

The MAGA hat is a hat introduced during the Donald Trump 2016 presidential campaign. It is red and features the campaign slogan "Make America Great Again" in white uppercase letters. It has since grown to become a symbol of belonging for those part of the MAGA movement, a political movement led by Trump.

History

The red hat bearing the slogan "Make America Great Again" was released in 2016 as apparel for the first presidential campaign of Donald Trump. Owing to its brash white-on-red design,[1][2] it found great success as a symbol of unity among Trump supporters. Its use has been compared to other American far-right partisan symbols, like the Confederate Flag.[3][4]

Due to it being viewed as an outward symbol of Trumpist identity, it is generally considered inflammatory to wear the MAGA hat in public.[5][6] In January 2019, it gained notoriety being worn during a highly-publicized standoff where a group of high schoolers mocked a Omaha tribe leader. Due to the perceived racist nature of the incident, actress and activist Alyssa Milano compared the hat to the Ku Klux Klan hood.[7][8]

On December 29, 2022, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in Vancouver, Washington ruled that wearing a MAGA hat is considered protected speech under the First Amendment. A former teacher had worn a MAGA hat to class to school and described facing verbal harassment and retaliation from school employees.[9]

The MAGA hat has at times been co-opted by non-supporters such as on September 12, 2024, when Democratic Party candidate Joe Biden wore the hat temporarily at a 9/11 commemoration event to promote unity.[10]

See also

References

  1. ^ Lehmann, Chris (2024-03-11). "The MAGA Aesthetic Is Beginning to Rot". ISSN 0027-8378. Retrieved 2024-12-29.
  2. ^ "Donald Trump's MAGA hat, making his business 'great again'". Le Monde. 2022-08-19. Retrieved 2024-12-29.
  3. ^ "What Does the MAGA Hat Mean Now? (Published 2020)". 2020-11-13. Archived from the original on 2022-11-08. Retrieved 2024-12-29.
  4. ^ "The Symbol Of The MAGA Hat". NPR. January 27, 2019.
  5. ^ Givhan, Robin (January 24, 2019). "The MAGA hat is not a statement of policy. It's an inflammatory declaration of identity". The Washington Post.
  6. ^ "Trump made MAGA hats a staple of his campaign. More than 2 million are on the streets". The Independent. 2024-11-06. Retrieved 2024-12-29.
  7. ^ Tong, Alfred (2019-02-05). "Trump's MAGA Cap: "This Generation's Ku Klux hood" or a brilliant piece of political branding?". British GQ. Retrieved 2024-12-29.
  8. ^ Lowry, Rich (2019-01-24). "In Defense of the MAGA Hat". POLITICO Magazine. Retrieved 2024-12-29.
  9. ^ "Teacher wearing MAGA hat to school was protected speech under First Amendment, appeals court rules - CBS News". www.cbsnews.com. 2023-01-04. Retrieved 2024-12-29.
  10. ^ "Biden wears Trump hat as 9/11 unity gesture, says White House". www.bbc.com. Retrieved 2024-12-29.