President-elect Donald Trump has spent the last few weeks making extremist appointments to his upcoming administration. Several of these nominees have made explicitly bigoted statements and aim to push an authoritarian and Christian Nationalist agenda which will dehumanize, and subsequently target, marginalized groups like immigrants, LGBTQ+ people, women, and religious minorities. Far-right extremist groups, organizations, and influencers alike operating on Telegram have revelled in these appointments over the past few weeks and used them to justify their hateful beliefs, as many see Trump’s nominees as a positive first step towards realizing their white supremacist dreams for the United States. The Global Project Against Hate and Extremism (GPAHE) has found some of the most spirited reactions on Telegram, largely positive, directed at Kash Patel, Tom Homan, Pete Hegseth, Tulsi Gabbard, and Pam Bondi.
Kash Patel
Kash Patel, Trump’s controversial pick for FBI Director, was largely met with glee from extremist groups such as the white supremacist Proud Boys, although some couldn’t resist expressing their racist beliefs against South Asians (a worryingly escalating phenomenon) when discussing him. Patel, who plans to prosecute journalists critical of Trump he deems to be part of the “Deep State,” has earned the respect of most of these violent extremists.
Proud Boys Ohio posted that Patel is making the “media frightened” through his “hands-on South Asian-Style Approach to dealing with systemic problems ie (sic) beating people with canes.” Members of the Minnesota Proud Boys public chat cheered on Patel’s nomination by sending fire emojis (meaning “on fire,” i.e., something that is exciting) and sharing a tweet saying “The floodgates have literally opened.” POYNews, a self-proclaimed “aggregate news and opinion feed…that relate to [the Proud Boys],” forwarded a message from another channel saying “Top FBI officials are reportedly in tears over the news of President Trump nominating Kash Patel as the next FBI Director.”
Minnesota Proud Boys chat members showcased their excitement for Patel’s nomination (Source: Telegram)
Neo-Nazis like those in the Aryan Freedom Network (AFN), who advocate for a racial “holy war” and train with firearms to achieve this goal, were elated at the prospect of “big layoffs with the f*****s in the FBI” if Patel is confirmed. In the same post, AFN aligned with Patel’s views about the “Deep State” by sharing their own plans to obtain records of “the fakes and cons within the Nationalist Movement” to determine “who is really the wolves in sheep’s clothing” and “start exposing these traitors.” It’s likely AFN is referring to who the far right and neo-Nazis often call “feds,” (a colloquial term for law enforcement agents), who are “anti-White Pride within our movement” intentionally making them look “bad” by infiltrating their movements and inciting violence. AFN cited the “public of information act” (likely referring to the “Public Information Act”) as something they can leverage to obtain this information.
On the other hand, self-described “wignat” (meaning white nationalists who use neo-Nazi rhetoric) Nicholas R. Jeelvy, who engages in sharing ethnonationalist video game footage and commentary on YouTube, was fuming at the idea of anyone who wasn’t white being appointed to a cabinet position. He criticized every “supposed pro-white commentator and activist which supported Blompf (meaning Trump) should be held personally responsible for every anti-white indian and latinx that gets handed a key cabinet position.” Comments on this post were rife with racism, including several calling Patel a “pajeet” or “jeet,” which are derogatory terms for South Asians, and saying the nomination represents “dark days for all the Active Clubs and pro-White organizations like Patriot Front and [the American Freedom Party].”
The comment section of Nicholas R. Jeelvy’s Telegram channel was filled with posts decrying Patel’s nomination, relying mostly on racism to justify their opinions (Source: Telegram)
MAGA affiliates and election denialism groups were bullish about Patel’s nomination. Jack Posobiec, a MAGA influencer who has a history of spreading antisemitism and endorsing the white supremacist 14 words slogan, “We must secure the existence of our people and a future for white children,” posted a congratulatory message for Patel on his Telegram channel. Charlie Kirk, a fervent Project 2025 supporter and Christian Nationalist who heads up Turning Point USA, said Patel’s appointment is “proof the people are back in charge of their government” and called him “the consummate professional” who “was not selected to lead the FBI to exact revenge, but to restore law and order and FAIR treatment of all Americans.” To be clear, Patel devised a carefully curated hit list of 60 “Deep State” operatives as an appendix to his 2022 book Government Gangsters, which reveals both expected partisan targets and surprising Republican inclusions, suggesting personal grievances drive his selections as much as ideology. An election denialism group on Telegram called Arizona Must Decertify associated Patel’s nomination with the hope of a “prosecution of The January 6th Committee,” whose final report implicated Trump as “the central cause” of the January 6th Capitol riot due to his rampant and unfounded claims of election fraud during the 2020 presidential elections.
Tom Homan
Former ICE Director Tom Homan, Trump’s new “Border Czar” bent on implementing a mass deportation, proved an immensely popular pick amongst racists, particularly due to their shared ideals of ridding the United States of foreigners. Trump’s victory, and therefore Homan’s subsequent appointment, represents a supposedly positive first step towards a white America, something which attendees of the recent white supremacist American Renaissance conference spoke about at length.
Most concerning of the reactions to Homan’s nomination was a message posted by the Toledo Proud Boys calling for their followers to document “suspected illegal immigrants” and “anyone trying to aide (sic) illegals from deportations” by taking pictures and videos. In the same post, they shared rhetoric related to the “Great Replacement” conspiracy theory by claiming “every single illegal in The US is a potential Dem voter,” and that “once DJT is potus and Homan is in charge of all this… They will need you all for possible hot tips so ICE can deport them.” The practice of citizens “informing” on people classified as “illegal” is worryingly similar to German citizens’ collaboration with the Gestapo in reporting any potential Jewish person based on having stereotypical “Jewish features.” Informants in Nazi Germany also reported on those suspected of harboring Jews.
The Toledo Proud Boys encourage their followers to “take pictures/videos of suspected illegal immigrants in your area” (Source: Telegram)
Support for anti-democratic measures to implement Homan’s strategies, along with some talk about an impending “civil war” were popular amongst Proud Boys chapters. Homan’s threat to imprison Denver, Colo., Mayor Mike Johnson (“He’s willing to go to jail, I’m willing to put him in jail”) after he vowed to protect his city’s migrants was shared by Proud Boys New Jersey and POYNews. The Hell Valley Proud Boys shared a clip from Fox News of Homan saying “it is a felony to harbor and conceal an illegal alien from ICE… don’t cross that line.” The Tennessee Proud Boys shared an article by the far-right news outlet The Gateway Pundit called “Will Democrat Resistance To Mass Deportations Trigger Civil War?” which pondered whether resistance to Homan from Governors and Mayors will “lead to civil war scenarios.”
Other Proud Boys chapters were content with cheering on Homan and his mass deportation plans, such as the Legend Valley Proud Boys’ post sharing an article by The Post Millennial discussing Homan’s call for migrants to voluntarily “self-deport.” The Northern Illinois Proud Boys shared a clip of Homan addressing migrants, saying “you better start packing now. You’re going home.” Additionally, Proud Boys New Jersey, Proud Boys of Columbus, and the Cape Fear Proud Boys all shared posts showcasing their excitement about the appointment.
Neo-Nazi organizations, along with far-right influencers, seemed particularly pleased with Homan’s appointment. The Aryan Freedom Network referred to Trump’s new “Border Czar” as Tom “I will deport your entire bloodline” Homan. The white nationalist online media network Red Ice TV, which supports violent neo-Nazi figures such as Robert Rundo, claimed that Homan “will do great things.” Francesca Totolo, writer and supporter of the Italian neo-fascist movement CasaPound, wrote “Trump appointed Tom Homan as head of border control, who has already guaranteed zero tolerance for illegal immigrants” (translated from Italian). Charles Cornish-Dale, better known as far-right influencer “Raw Egg Nationalist,” described Homan in an article for Alex Jones’ conspiracy site InfoWars using a quote from the film Sin City (2005): “He just had the rotten luck of being born in the wrong century. He’d be right at home on some ancient battlefield, swinging an axe into somebody’s face, or in a Roman arena taking a sword to other gladiators like him.” Cornish-Dale followed up in a Telegram post, saying “Trump needs a tough man as his border czar. Tom Homan is tough all right.”
Neo-Nazi Telegram influencer channel “ZoomerWaffen” made multiple posts praising Homan, including claims that “Homan will be going after the government, UN, and NGOs involved in the migrant invasion.” In the same post, they said “I wonder how many steins and bergs will be shaken out of the Kalergi immigration tree,” referring to a thoroughly debunked antisemitic conspiracy theory which purports that Austrian politician Richard von Coudenhove-Kalergi devised a plot in 1925 to replace white Europeans via immigration. Another post by ZoomerWaffen, referring to Homan’s attendance at neo-Nazi Nick Fuentes’ America First Political Action Conference (AFPAC) and his subsequent refusal to denounce it, said “I’m already sold. You don’t have to sell it to me.” The channel administrator seemed particularly happy with the idea that Homan will be “taking the brownies” out of Sanctuary Cities, encouraging the government to ensure “every soldier” and “every single cent should be made available to Tom Homan to stop & reverse this invasion.” In the comment section of another neo-Nazi Telegram group, called Alt Skull’s Charnel House, one user excitedly called Homan the “SS-Oberst-Gruppenführer of Border Security,” referring to the highest commissioned rank, other than Reichsführer, in the Schutzstaffel (otherwise known as the SS) in Nazi Germany.
The ZoomerWaffen Telegram channel is on board with Tom Homan’s appointment, especially because of his connections to white supremacy (Source: Telegram)
MAGA affiliates and election denialist groups also supported Homan. Jack Posobiec and Donald Trump, Jr,. both posted in support of Homan, with Posobiec quoting Homan’s threat against Denver Mayor Mike Johnson, and Trump, Jr., telling his followers to “buckle up” for Homan’s plans. America’s Audit Force and New Mexico Audit Force both shared a post discussing Homan’s threatening message to Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, who vowed to protect migrants from deportation, saying “Game on. We’ve got no problem going through him.” Georgia Election Audit Updates said that Homan’s appointment meant that “Great things [are] coming up for the southern border,” and expressed glee at Homan saying “You’re going to absolutely need the military” to assist in his mass deportation plans.
Pete Hegseth
Trump’s potential Secretary of Defense, Christian Nationalist Pete Hegseth, who is looking to integrate his virulent anti-Muslim and anti-“woke” ideology into the United States military, was received with a thundrous applause by extremists, who focused largely on expelling transgender people from the military and outright misogyny. The Bourbon City Proud Boys gave Hegseth their blessing, saying “Stay strong Pete. God bless & protect you!” and shared an article by The Daily Caller suggesting that “Washington is Outraged” over Hegseth’s appointment for “reasons…darker than you think.” Similarly, the Proud Boys of Columbus tried to get ahead of any backlash Hegseth would face, including sexual assault allegations made by a female colleague at a conservative group the two were associated with, saying “the left is out to destroy Trump’s picks, they’ll stop at nothing and there are no lines they won’t cross.” The Cape Fear Proud Boys also called the allegations a “Trump nominee false rape story,” suggesting a conspiracy that “women are lining up in response to casting calls to play rape victims for other Trump nominees.” The Toledo Proud Boys shared a video of Hegseth at CPAC 2021 talking about how Republicans need to start being more aggressive in their legislative approach by “attack[ing] the enemy,” telling their followers that “Hegseth nails it.” POYMemeFarm, an account which regularly shares Proud Boys content, made a post describing Hegseth’s “Deus Vult” and Jerusalem Cross tattoos, and seemingly showed excitement at Hegseth “being a White Nationalist and Christian extremist.”
A couple of neo-Nazi channels seemed on board with Hegseth. ZoomerWaffen posted a screenshot of a tweet by Hegseth describing backlash against his appointment as “Anti-Christian bigotry.” Alt Skull’s Charnel House, referring to Hegseth’s comments that “we should not have women in combat roles,” said “Trump’s pick for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth wants to cancel women from the military? Say no more. I’m on board.” The post’s comment section dove deeper into the far right’s misogynistic views, with some users suggesting civilian roles for women in the military can include being a “prostitute,” while others cheered on Hegseth’s appointment as a step in the right direction for making “America straight again,” which will help in these neo-Nazis’ ultimate goal of America “choos[ing] and embrac[ing] national socialism” as their ruling ideology.
Alt Skull’s Charnel House cheers on Hegseth as someone who will “cancel women from the military” while his commenters praise Trump and Hegseth for creating a program “to make America straight again,” which they hope will help to usher in a new era of national socialism (Source: Telegram)
MAGA affiliates and other election deniers also signalled their support for Hegseth. TPUSA’s Charlie Kirk made a post complaining about transgender people in the military, saying “our military admits mentally ill people who think they are the opposite sex,” and that Hegseth “understands the nature of this crisis and is ready to attack it immediately.” Far-right internet personality “Catturd” made similar comments, saying “The people who think men can get pregnant… are calling Pete Hegseth an extremist.”
“Election Audit” groups like Arizona Must Decertify defended Hegseth’s removal as security from President Joe Biden’s 2021 inauguration by saying “the mockingbird media is on the attack again,” calling Hegseth “the reasonable one and the adult in the room” compared to the “lamestream media.” The New Mexico Audit Force, referring to a tweet mocking queer representation in government, said “we suffered through this ridiculous, [bullshit], freakshow. The left can deal with Matt Gaetz and Pete Hegseth.”
Tulsi Gabbard
Trump’s pick for Director of National Intelligence (DNI), Tulsi Gabbard, didn’t spark the same level of reaction as Patel, Homan, or Hegseth, but many were still pleased about what her nomination means for the destruction of the “Deep State.” The Bourbon City Proud Boys shared a YouTube video published by right-wing commentator Tim Pool saying the “deep state is furious” about Gabbard’s appointment. The Proud Boys of Columbus cheered on “our girl Tulsi Gabbard” shortly after the announcement.
MAGA affiliates like Charlie Kirk claimed that “DC is in full panic mode over Tulsi Gabbard as DNI” and defended her against allegations of being a “Russian asset” by calling it a “smear” invented by Hillary Clinton to “lie about Tulsi because she was supporting Bernie.” On the “WarRoom: Official Telegram Channel,” which claims to be associated with Steve Bannon’s podcast of the same name, also made comments about the “deep state” fearing Gabbard along with Jack Posobiec, who claimed that CIA agents are “terrified of what she’ll uncover” if she is successfully confirmed as DNI.
German far-right multimedia company COMPACT-magazine made a post on Telegram calling the appointment a “chess move against the Deep State,” expressing excitement about the possibility of “disillusioned officials [resigning] of their own accord” if Gabbard, described as a “wrecking ball with which Trump is also threatening the Department of Defense and the Department of Justice,” is confirmed.
Pam Bondi
Pam Bondi, who replaced Matt Gaetz as Trump’s nominee for Attorney General, garnered a few, but noteworthy, reactions. Proud Boys Upstate New York were skeptical about her appointment, who, like gun groups, criticised her role in pushing “red flag” laws and her work to outlaw bump stocks. The Legend Valley Proud Boys also appeared skeptical, calling Bondi a “RINO (Republican In Name Only) swamp creature in heels,” whose appointment represents the “Uniparty [winning] again.” The POYNews channel was more focused on Bondi’s ability to expose and take down the “deep state,” asking if “Kash [Patel] and Pam Bondi [will] make this explosion happen?” The Northern Nevada Proud Boys were optimistic about Bondi, and called Trump a “4-D Chess Grand Master” for supposedly using Gaetz to make “confirmation of his real pick (i.e., Bondi) a little smoother.”
Christopher Pohlhaus, leader of the neo-Nazi Blood Tribe, Australian neo-Nazi Joel Davis, and American white nationalist Nathan Damigo, pointed out Bondi’s support of Israel and her calls for university students protesting Israel “to be taken out of our country or the FBI needs to be interviewing them right away.”
