Fogbow

“A DEEP DESIRE TO DOMINATE WITHOUT MERCY” WHITE NATIONALISTS GAIN FRIENDS IN POWER AT AFPAC III

When white nationalist Nick Fuentes stepped to the podium at the February 25 America First Political Action Conference in Orlando, Florida, the third installment of his America First Foundation’s annual conference (AFPAC III), the mid-20s “Groyper” cheerleader beamed with glee.

Fuentes claimed more than one thousand in attendance, declaring his effort “the preeminent right-wing political movement in America today.” More than ten thousand watched the event live online. In addition, AFPAC III managed to attract six current or former government officials (four more than the previous year).

While Fuentes’s Groyper effort is significantly out-shadowed by, and vying for a place in, the broader and more ideologically diverse COVID denial mobilization, Fuentes’ boast should be of concern to all.

By attracting multiple elected officials, AFPAC is the most significant effort to normalize overt white nationalism in mainstream politics since the heyday of the Council of Conservative Citizens. While the Council of Conservative Citizens relied on old ties going back to the days of the White Citizens Councils, the Groyper’s AFPAC effort is very much aimed at recruiting and mobilizing a new generation of young white nationalists.