Within the initial 48 hours of President Donald Trump’s second term, he has rapidly implemented actions on nearly every significant cultural issue that has mobilized his supporters over the past year, which includes signing numerous executive orders addressing immigrant policies, gender identity, environmental regulations, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
In addition, Trump has granted pardons or commutations to all individuals involved in the violent uprising at the Capitol in 2021. Simultaneously, his close associate Elon Musk has energized an even more radical segment of Trump’s base by making gestures resembling a Nazi salute onstage—repeatedly—in front of a live audience in DC and millions tuning in via television.
Trump’s decisions have sparked considerable enthusiasm among far-right factions in the United States. They have also been lauded as a strategic framework by a fervent group of far-right legislators, extremist figures, and white supremacist organizations around the world. These individuals and groups now believe that Trump’s strategies should not only be emulated but intensified.
“It transcends mere political achievement,” wrote Martin Sellner, a prominent far-right activist and leader of Austria’s Identitarian Movement, on his Telegram channel. “This is a metapolitical triumph: the cessation of wokeness and transgender ideology, halting illegal immigration, and several other concepts have become mainstream in society.”
“These extremists perceive this as a guiding principle, urging their nations to emulate Trump’s initiatives without faltering, ensuring that woke activists do not obstruct them. It is universally acknowledged that the right course of action is to eliminate immigration,” states Wendy Via, the CEO of the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism, in an interview with WIRED.
Sellner, who previously communicated with the perpetrator of the Christchurch massacre, is particularly known for popularizing the white nationalist notion of “remigration,” advocating for the ethnic cleansing of nonwhite individuals from Western nations. This radical belief has gained traction among several far-right organizations in Europe, such as the Alternative for Germany (AfD) and Austria’s Freedom Party. Trump had even previously endorsed the idea of “remigration” in September.
Now, Sellner believes that Trump’s return to the White House marks a pivotal moment to elevate his agenda into the mainstream.
“By further pushing into the realm of the ‘unspeakable,’ we transition from a defensive posture and genuinely alter the Overton Window to the right for the first time,” Sellner articulated. “Even if you feel Trumpism is sufficient, you should back the radical wing.”
Sellner finds company across Europe. Far-right leaders throughout the continent have praised Trump’s initiatives regarding migration and gender and have called for their own leaders to take similar steps.
In France, the Generation Identity group, the youth faction of the far-right Identitarian movement, stated on Telegram: “Remigration is in full motion. Identitarianism has achieved an ideological victory; it will only be a matter of time before this victory manifests in reality.”
In Ireland, Keith Woods, a far-right influencer allied with American white supremacist Nick Fuentes, shared footage of Musk’s Nazi-like salute with the caption: “Perhaps woke truly is finished.” Irish UFC fighter Conor McGregor, who has increasingly associated with Ireland’s far-right community in recent years, was present at the Capitol during the inauguration and met with House Speaker Mike Johnson. McGregor lauded Trump’s immigration policies, declaring on Instagram, “Ireland’s human trafficking crisis necessitates complete dismantlement! It represents a breach of our security and sovereignty. To me, it is A NATIONAL EMERGENCY.” (McGregor has recently indicated he is contemplating a presidential run in Ireland, a largely symbolic position devoid of substantial power.)
