Liz Truss, Steve Bannon and Tucker Carlson? A Look Inside the One-Time PM's Attempt for Maga

Liz Truss, began the premiere of her video series with a promise to unmask "the evil-doers" attempting to undermine Western democracies. She explained she would reveal how an "international network of progressives function to subvert democracy and the public's choice."

"We're going to look at the Trump revolution and observe how it can be replicated in Britain," Truss declared. "We'll be talking to the prominent voices of the Maga movement."

In advance of the show's launch, there was a notably ardent backer. "This marks the start of a kind of political shift," remarked veteran reporter John Solomon. His Just the News platform will host the Truss's new audio shows.

Building Connections in the Conservative Media Landscape

UK-based allies, including a pro-Reform adviser, assisted in her set up the her new show. The setup is adequate, though simple. She has gathered a subscriber base of 10k in her initial seven days and her debut garnered tens of thousands of views across the same period.

This represents a humble beginning, but in making common cause with John Solomon, she is being entering a established conservative ecosystem generating and disseminating Maga talking points. Central preoccupations include alleged censorship by the traditional news outlets and a goal to remove a shadowy government apparatus – a force that she attributes her downfall to for the rapid conclusion of her disastrous time in office.

"Just the News is not well-known outside of the Maga world, but it does have gravitas there, mostly due to John Solomon, who offers opinions on pro-Trump shows like Bannon's 'War Room' podcast and has even spoken with Donald Trump," noted Professor Alex Hinton, who has extensively researched the Maga movement.

A Contentious Ally

Truss's attempt to bring American conservative media to Britain has drawn her nearer to divisive personalities such as the journalist.

He founded the platform in the wake of criticism after he was accused of circulating false stories about Joe Biden's anticorruption effort in the Ukraine, as well as controversial stories about one-time diplomat to the region.

His claims were amplified across the pro-Trump media, with Solomon appearing as a regular guest on Sean Hannity's influential Fox News show. Donald Trump boosted the journalist's work.

Solomon made the allegations regarding Ukraine in a number of opinion pieces for the outlet The Hill, where he had already been moved to a columnist role following internal criticism about his work. His claims were pivotal in Trump's pressure for the Ukrainian government to investigate Hunter Biden and his father in 2019. This pressure culminated in articles of impeachment targeting Donald Trump. Senators later voted to acquit the commander-in-chief.

Shortly after Solomon left the publication in October 2019, the outlet revealed it was performing a review of his work relating to Ukrainian matters. It found Solomon had relied on questionable informants and stated he "did not disclose crucial information about primary contacts in Ukraine, specifically the detail that they had been charged or were the subject of inquiries."

Entering the Ecosystem

His TV and radio guest spots are a sign of the right-wing media network the former prime minister is joining. He discussed his backing of Truss's project on a broadcast he helps run on the right-wing channel, a rightwing cable channel that is where you find the Maga influencer Steve Bannon and on which Tucker Carlson also is seen. The ex-PM has already spoken with Steve Bannon on one of her first podcasts.

By partnering with Solomon and Just the News, she has become a minor player in a broader ecosystem of pro-Trump platforms that frequently cross-promote stories.

The journalist's broadcasts have frequently included personalities such as influencer Mike Benz, a rightwing influencer whose arguments against the foreign aid agency was referenced by the X owner as reasoning behind closing the international development organization.

A Cross-Border Foray

Although her awkward delivery and political travails have drawn derision in Britain, a number of stateside commentators are not discounting her efforts to rebrand as a British branch of the Maga media.

"You have to take individuals such as her with seriousness, despite the fact that you may not want to accept their words at face value," said Rob Flaherty, who served in the Obama White House.

"You saw how in the last election cycle President Trump utilized that ecosystem to spread his narrative. Without a doubt that sphere exports and influences conversation abroad. It appears relatively clear to me that the conditions in the UK are comparable to what allowed this parallel press sphere to thrive in the US."

Professor Alan Finlayson, said the online conservative ecosystem was already having an impact in the United Kingdom.

"The internet is borderless," Finlayson remarked. "There's a kind milieu within which stuff flows – at times manifesting in radical ways and occasionally in softer tones – but which is networked."

Hinton said the growth of the internet-based right wing in the United Kingdom recently meant the "possibility to have a growing impact is considerable."

Cross-Atlantic Aspirations

"Both Truss and Nigel Farage recently were featured at the Conservative Political Action Conference, where I watched as they deployed Make America Great Again rhetoric ahead of the {king of Maga|

Casey Thompson
Casey Thompson

A cybersecurity specialist and tech journalist with over a decade of experience covering emerging technologies and digital trends across Europe.