Bulwark Takes: "When MAGA Invents Its Own Enemies"

Date: October 24, 2025
Host: Sam Stein
Guest: Will Sommer (author of False Flag)

Episode Overview

This episode delves into several recent cases where MAGA-aligned media and influencers have amplified or manufactured stories of left-wing violence—stories which, upon closer inspection, turned out to be distortions, misunderstandings, or outright fabrications involving fellow conservatives or troubled individuals. Sam Stein and Will Sommer break down these incidents, exploring the dynamics behind the right's search for enemies, the swift social media amplification, and the reluctance to correct misinformation once it spreads. They also discuss the real-world impact of these viral narratives, from political pressure on officials to government action.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Search for Left-Wing Violence After the Charlie Kirk Assassination

• The MAGA media is on heightened alert for leftist violence, seeking out proof to bolster a narrative of constant threat after high-profile incidents like the Charlie Kirk assassination.
• However, in their zeal, there are frequent “false positives”—cases where supposed leftist attacks actually originate within the right-wing community.

2. Case Study #1: The Arlington GOP Debate Watch Party

[00:58–05:14]

• Incident Recap: Viral video shows two “hecklers” ejected from a Virginia Republican debate watch party at Mr. Days bar, passed around MAGA social media as an example of leftists targeting conservatives.
• Notable Quote:
  • Will Sommer: "And then this video emerges...this is, you know, these are leftists. Will these leftists never stop?" [01:20]
• Prominent right-wing figures—including radio host Larry O’Connor—blame Democrats and allege unpunished leftist aggression.
• The Twist:
  • Actually, the disruptors were Republicans themselves—Miles Morrell and Alicia—who had organized a previous Trump event in Arlington that turned out to be a flop ("MAGA Fyre Festival").
  • The Arlington GOP denounced them; their confrontation was an internal grudge, not a leftist protest.
  • Most right-wing influencers deleted their accusatory posts without issuing corrections.
• Memorable Moment:
  • Sam Stein: "What tickles me is that most of the people...just erased their tweets...they didn't even like, issue corrections being like, ah, I got that one wrong." [03:37]

3. Case Study #2: The Missing 17-Year-Old in Florida

[05:14–08:51]

• Incident Recap:
  • Caden Spate, 17, from Marion County, FL, goes missing after texting his mother that "four Mexican men in a white van" are hunting him and have shot at him.
  • MAGA circles quickly seize on story, speculating on cartel or illegal immigrant involvement—fueling social media panic.
• Police soon release evidence:
  • He was last seen at a Walmart buying items to run away with.
  • He staged his own disappearance and shot himself in the leg as cover, later spinning elaborate tales (e.g., being forced into fights).
  • Right-wing influencers, having loudly promoted the story, quietly delete their commentary once the truth emerges.
• Relevant Historical Parallel:
  • Sam Stein references a 2008 incident where a woman falsely claimed political assault, paralleling the current appetite for stories fitting a preferred narrative.
  • "She had a bee carved in her face and quickly fell apart because the bee was carved backwards." [08:19]
• Analysis:
  • Will Sommer: "All of these right wing characters who were baying for blood...they suddenly deleted their tweets and moved on quietly." [07:57]
• Sam Stein: "It's pretty lame to delete your tweets and move on. He should probably issue Correction..." [08:08]

4. Media Incentives and Misinformation Loops

[08:51–11:42]

• There is a considerable appetite within MAGA media and certain right-wing circles for content depicting liberals and progressives as uniquely violent or criminal.
• This leads to heightened scrutiny and amplification—even of non-events or mistaken stories—while corrections are rare and often quietly deleted.
• Example: The "no Kings" protest was painted as dangerous by the Trump administration, but actual incidents were minor.
• Press conferences can feature fringe or outlandish questions meant to further stoke outrage, regardless of their real importance.
• Notable Quote:
  • Sam Stein: "It feels like there is kind of this...effort to make these things into bigger storylines than they probably need to be." [10:27]

5. Right-Wing Influencers and Real-World Impact

[11:42–13:50]

• MAGA-aligned influencers increasingly prompt government action through viral outrage—sometimes over long-standing, benign urban conditions.
• Case Example:
  • Canal Street in NYC: Influencer Savannah Hernandez posts about immigrant street vendors; within a day, authorities crack down, sweeping the vendors out.
  • The hosts express concern: external "influencer rage" increasingly provokes disproportionate state action.
  • Will Sommer: "We have obviously all these examples...where these right wing influencers sort of really often, not always, but often sort of put themselves in positions that are very aggressive and provocative." [13:08]
• Example parallels drawn with James O’Keefe's contract videos and provocations in protest cities like Portland.
• The general impact: a fast-moving ecosystem where narrative, accusation, and enforcement blur—the loudest voices can prompt real consequences.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "Miles Morrell...was very upset that in the False Flag newsletter, the head of the Arlington GOP had called him a goober." — Will Sommer [04:39]
• "This whole sort of effort to just paint one side as uniquely problematic and the other side as completely green is just not reality." — Sam Stein [11:24]
• "These influencers, if they get a target and they tee it up for the right people, I don't think Pam Bondi is going to go arrest everybody. But it is not beyond the realm of reason that the federal government will respond..." — Sam Stein [12:17]
• "People have to understand it's just not normal. Right. Like usually there's more of a structure and coherence to this..." — Sam Stein [13:32]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:58–05:14 – Arlington GOP “leftist” incident and the “MAGA Fyre Festival” comparison
• 05:14–08:51 – Florida teen kidnapping hoax goes viral, is debunked
• 08:51–11:42 – The right-wing media's appetite for leftist villain narratives; historical parallels
• 11:42–13:50 – Influencers prompt authorities’ action (Canal Street crackdown), concerns about influence and accountability

Conclusion

This episode exposes the cycle by which right-wing media and influencers create, amplify, and then quietly retreat from stories of leftist violence—even when those stories fall apart or boomerang. The hosts emphasize that, while political violence does exist on the left and right, the current atmosphere incentivizes exaggerated, misleading, or wholly fabricated narratives, which MAGA-aligned actors rarely walk back publicly. The tangible influence of this outrage engine, from local police action to federal intervention, points to a fragmenting media and political environment where perception—and virality—often drives reality.

Recommendation:
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