By John Q. Hosedrinker 
X, formerly Twitter, has transformed into a platform where the right engages with the extreme right, largely due to Elon Musk’s changes. These shifts, including relaxed content moderation and creator payouts, have incentivized a race to the bottom with bigotry and conspiracy theories gaining traction. Right-wing figures are now concerned as the platform loses its ability to unite the right, fostering internal conflict. Meanwhile, the Trump administration remains fixated on appeasing the online right, potentially alienating ordinary voters and jeopardizing the MAGA 2.0 coalition.
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Elon Musk created a monster that’s tearing the right apart. This whole saga, starting with Musk’s acquisition of Twitter in 2022, is quite the spectacle, isn’t it? It seems like he took a platform that had a certain ideological leaning and, intentionally or not, tilted it towards the right. Some might argue that Twitter never truly favored progressives in the first place, but the perception certainly shifted. And, let’s be honest, the changes Musk implemented, from policy alterations to a different tone, undeniably created a different environment.
This shift, for a time, appeared to benefit the right. Their voices grew louder, and their political fortunes seemed to improve. The “woke” era, as some have called it, began to wane. Conservatives found themselves in a stronger position in the culture wars. The return of Donald Trump certainly fueled the narrative. On the newly christened X, a sense of triumph was palpable among right-leaning circles.
However, the tide has begun to turn. X, the very platform designed to bolster the right, is now becoming a battleground *within* the right. It’s a place where old allies turn on each other, where divisions are laid bare, and where internal conflicts erupt in full view of everyone. This infighting isn’t just a minor disagreement; it’s a series of often vicious feuds over critical issues, ranging from international relations to deeply ingrained cultural biases.
The root of much of this turmoil appears to be X itself. Musk’s changes to the platform’s policies have changed what’s considered acceptable to say. Guardrails against misinformation and bigotry have been lowered, incentivizing a race to the bottom for attention. It’s become a digital Wild West, where the most outrageous claims and hateful rhetoric often gain the most traction. This has created a breeding ground for conspiracy theories, and amplified division within the right.
The situation is complicated by the nature of social media itself. The algorithms that drive engagement thrive on outrage and emotional responses. This focus on engagement promotes a cycle of increasingly extreme viewpoints, because there’s always someone willing to go further, to say something more shocking, to grab more attention. This creates a kind of “Overton Window” effect, where extreme ideas become normalized over time.
This isn’t just about X; it’s about the very business model of social media. The product isn’t just the platform itself, but the user’s attention. The more time people spend online, the more data the platform can collect, and the more revenue it can generate. Therefore, the platforms are designed to promote anything that will keep users engaged, even if it’s destructive.
The shift is further exacerbated by the removal of certain safeguards on the platform. Prior to the changes, there were at least some limitations on what could be said, or the spread of misinformation. Now, the floodgates have opened, and the right, which was unified in its opposition to a perceived “woke” culture, is now splintering into factions and infighting. It’s as though the shared enemy that united them has disappeared, and they are turning on each other.
It’s also worth noting that the “monster” Musk has created isn’t just about the platform itself. It extends to the personalities and figures who have gained prominence on X. Figures who are willing to say the most outrageous things, and promote the most extreme viewpoints. This is a game of one-upmanship, where the only way to gain attention is to be more outrageous than the last person.
The whole situation highlights the inherent instability of the far right. Fascism, by its nature, is a movement built on division and conflict. There is always someone trying to become more extreme, pushing the boundaries of what is acceptable and what is not. This process is accelerated when the guardrails are removed, and the algorithms encourage the most extreme content.
Ultimately, the schism on the right isn’t necessarily about policies or ideas; it’s about the very core of their ideology. The core of their identity. Who is considered “truly” American? Who is an ally, and who is an enemy? These questions, which were once suppressed, are now being discussed openly, and the answers are as divisive as ever. While the infighting continues, the oligarchs are still in charge. It’s just a matter of who will benefit in the end. It’s truly a circus.