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Tech

The Pro-Trump Internet And The Alt-Right Is Turning On Breitbart

"People in MAGA world don't really look to [Breitbart] for breaking news as much as they used to," Jack Posobiec told BuzzFeed News. Chuck Johnson put it more bluntly. "Breitbart is over," he wrote.

Posted on
Charlie Warzel
Charlie Warzel
BuzzFeed News Reporter

On Monday morning, Breitbart News fired staffer Katie McHugh, following a series of incendiary weekend tweets broadcast in the wake of the London Bridge terror attack. On Saturday evening, as word of the incidents spread across social media, McHugh tweeted that "there would be no deadly terror attacks in the U.K. if Muslims didn't live there." Her comments reportedly offended a number of Breitbart staffers, according to a story published by CNN.

After McHugh's firing, she took to Twitter again to condemn the publication for what she views as censorship. "Breitbart News fired me for telling the truth about Islam and Muslim immigration," she wrote.

Across the pro-Trump internet, McHugh's firing was widely decried as a sign of weakness by Breitbart and an attempt by the site — once led by now-Senior White House Advisor Stephen Bannon — to pivot toward a more moderate editorial strategy. McHugh, meanwhile, set up a donations page on the far-right crowdfunding site, Wesearchr, run by Chuck Johnson.

Breitbart News fired me for telling the truth about Islam and Muslim immigration. https://t.co/IRAUOj6pIL #LondonBridge
Katie McHugh🇺🇸 @k_mcq

Breitbart News fired me for telling the truth about Islam and Muslim immigration. https://t.co/IRAUOj6pIL #LondonBridge

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And early Tuesday morning, Johnson — a former Daily Caller freelancer known for his trolling and informal advising of the Trump transition team — echoed McHugh's frustrations in a Facebook post. "I suspect we are seeing the end of Breitbart," Johnson wrote. "It's basically a shell of it's former self. It's not that interesting anymore." Johnson called Breitbart a "click-baity property" and "a poor man’s right-wing Huffington Post."

In a follow up email to BuzzFeed News, Johnson responded unequivocally: "Breitbart is over."

Another pro-Trump supporter and member of the MAGAsphere on Twitter suggested that the site has lost its edge after Steve Bannon left to run Donald Trump's campaign. "We read (past-tense) [Breitbart] because their news cycle was stuff we were interested in reading, and it seems Bannon was the person driving that vehicle," this person who wished to remain anonymous said. "With him unable to do that in his job with POTUS, BB just doesn't have the stories that interest us anymore."

Jack Posobiec — a pro-Trump Twitter personality — echoed that sentiment. "People in MAGA world don't really look to [Breitbart] for breaking news as much as they used to, Its more like the Hill or Roll Call," he said.

In pro-Trump circles, that perceived pivot may prove to be enough to turn away devoted readers. New Right blogger Mike Cernovich noted that "the media market has no need right now for another Hill," he said. "We need more sites like what Breitbart was and what the Daily Caller is doing. It's a massive mistake to try to pivot to the mainstream, especially if you're on the right."

Such testimonials from the pro-Trump internet are largely anecdotal. That said, there is some data to suggest Breitbart's momentum has slowed from the halcyon months leading up to the 2016 election. In May, Vanity Fair cited Alexa web traffic results that appear to indicate "an unusually steep decline in Breitbart’s traffic." And today, Digiday reported that ad tracking platform MediaRadar found just "26 brands appearing on Breitbart in May, down from a high of 242 in March."

Multiple conversations with pro-Trump media personalities suggest the resignation of Breitbart Tech Editor Milo Yiannoplous in February after the discovery of video of him allegedly endorsing pedophilia was a turning point for the site. According to reports Yiannopolous' resignation was the result of internal pressure from Breitbart employees. For some in the pro-Trump media, it was a sign that the publication's management was caving to the pressure from the mainstream media.

Here are some of the reactions of the past 24 hours:

Bannon leaving broke Breitbart apparently. They've been so lame lately. https://t.co/cSAqTx8VbI
Cassandra Fairbanks @CassandraRules

Bannon leaving broke Breitbart apparently. They've been so lame lately. https://t.co/cSAqTx8VbI

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Katie tells the truth and gets fired from Breitbart. After firing Milo, Breitbart turned to 💩 https://t.co/ZjGH2qmTIp
Dagny Delinquent👌 @DagnyDelinquent

Katie tells the truth and gets fired from Breitbart. After firing Milo, Breitbart turned to 💩 https://t.co/ZjGH2qmTIp

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@Cernovich Breitbart has turned into a joke since Bannon left. They constantly push clickbait articles on par with BuzzFeed.
IAmSilky🇺🇸🇭🇺 @IAmVerySilky

@Cernovich Breitbart has turned into a joke since Bannon left. They constantly push clickbait articles on par with BuzzFeed.

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@Cernovich Wtf happened to @BreitbartNews !? They have been slipping into mainstream garbage for a while now. #FakeNews!
Nik Lentz @NikLentz

@Cernovich Wtf happened to @BreitbartNews !? They have been slipping into mainstream garbage for a while now. #FakeNews!

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A number of pro-Trump personalities suggested the organization succumbed to the "political correctness" culture and 'Fake News' Breitbart used to crusade against.

Katie McHugh (@k_mcq) was fired from Breitbart after the leftist political correctness police demanded it. Not good. https://t.co/EsbTrYu6fT
Stefan Molyneux @StefanMolyneux

Katie McHugh (@k_mcq) was fired from Breitbart after the leftist political correctness police demanded it. Not good. https://t.co/EsbTrYu6fT

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Breitbart fired a journalist to appease fake news media. Here's how to respond! https://t.co/gdno2ATVOr
Mike Cernovich @Cernovich

Breitbart fired a journalist to appease fake news media. Here's how to respond! https://t.co/gdno2ATVOr

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Some even attempted to start a #BoycottBreitbart campaign.

@Cernovich #BoycottBreitbart until they apologize and rehire her. Their desperate attempts to go mainstream and ap… https://t.co/iUJ2rr9irA
White Goodman @BramboRaveheart

@Cernovich #BoycottBreitbart until they apologize and rehire her. Their desperate attempts to go mainstream and ap… https://t.co/iUJ2rr9irA

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#BoycottBreitbart https://t.co/Hf8M50dwJK
Vic Tim of the Hood @FeminismIsLies

#BoycottBreitbart https://t.co/Hf8M50dwJK

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Because of NRO style purges against pro-European voices, I urge a #BoycottBreitbart https://t.co/wihPNIg8zG
HeliRides6Gorillion @HeliRides600000

Because of NRO style purges against pro-European voices, I urge a #BoycottBreitbart https://t.co/wihPNIg8zG

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#BoycottBreitbart awhile: #NoPageViewsForBreitbart @ThirdRailTM @vdare @JMcfeels @pnehlen https://t.co/H6VAOVrEG0
Patronio's Moor @Patronio_Moor

#BoycottBreitbart awhile: #NoPageViewsForBreitbart @ThirdRailTM @vdare @JMcfeels @pnehlen https://t.co/H6VAOVrEG0

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@NikLentz @Cernovich @BreitbartNews Their time is done #boycottbreitbart
Dead Pool @MrPoolToYou

@NikLentz @Cernovich @BreitbartNews Their time is done #boycottbreitbart

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@k_mcq @DineshDSouza HEY @BreitbartNews whaddaya mean
Darlene Plyter @TexasTeddie

@k_mcq @DineshDSouza HEY @BreitbartNews whaddaya mean "yielding to pressure from @CNNFakeNews" and firing this edit… https://t.co/G4tOQ3eT5u

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Others suggested the outlet's influence is waning with diehard pro-Trumpers ...

Breitbart gave the left the power to fire their employees. This is why @BreitbartNews has peaked in influence. All downhill from here.
Not Ricky Vaughn ⚑🌹 @RickyVaughnX2

Breitbart gave the left the power to fire their employees. This is why @BreitbartNews has peaked in influence. All downhill from here.

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Virginia Dare @vdare

"Cucks," "pussies," "losers" - that's how I described Breitbart staffers whining to reporters about what colleagues… https://t.co/7flXq4cfkE

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@Cernovich Breitbart trying to go mainstream. Will kill their target audience and mainstream will never accept them. Fox News 2.0.
Michael Boyle @MBoyleAZ

@Cernovich Breitbart trying to go mainstream. Will kill their target audience and mainstream will never accept them. Fox News 2.0.

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... and that some are heading toward sites like The Daily Caller

Breitbart will go down the tubes soon https://t.co/bY2VDbpQK9
Dagny Delinquent👌 @DagnyDelinquent

Breitbart will go down the tubes soon https://t.co/bY2VDbpQK9

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Charlie Warzel is a senior writer for BuzzFeed News and is based in New York. Warzel reports on and writes about the intersection of tech and culture.

Contact Charlie Warzel at charlie.warzel@buzzfeed.com.

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