The MAGA hat is a hat introduced during the Donald Trump 2016 presidential campaign. It is usually red and features the campaign slogan "Make America Great Again" (MAGA) in white uppercase letters. It has since grown to become a symbol of belonging for those part of the MAGA movement, a political movement led by Donald Trump.
The red hat bearing the slogan "Make America Great Again" was released in 2016 as apparel for the first presidential campaign of Donald Trump. Owing to its white-on-red design, [1] [2] it found great success as a symbol of unity among Trump supporters. Its use has been compared to other American far-right partisan symbols, like the Confederate flag. [3] [4]
Due to it being viewed as an outward symbol of Trumpist identity, it is generally considered inflammatory to wear the MAGA hat in public. [5] [6] In January 2019, it gained notoriety during a highly-publicized standoff between a group of high schoolers wearing the hat and Omaha tribe leader Nathan Phillips. Due to the perceived racist nature of the incident, actress and activist Alyssa Milano compared the hat to the Ku Klux Klan hood. [7] [8]
On December 29, 2022, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in Vancouver, Washington ruled that wearing a MAGA hat is considered protected speech under the First Amendment. A former teacher had worn a MAGA hat to class to school and described facing verbal harassment and retaliation from school employees. [9]
The MAGA hat has at times been co-opted by non-supporters such as when President Joe Biden wore the hat temporarily at a 9/11 memorial event in 2024, claiming it was to promote unity. [10]
