Overview of the Connection Between Joey Mannarino and Donald Trump

Joey Mannarino, a prominent right-wing social media influencer, and Donald Trump, former and current U.S. President as of 2025, share a social and ideological connection rooted in their mutual alignment with conservative causes and rhetoric. This relationship gained attention in September 2025 following the assassination of a figure referred to as Kirk, when Mannarino publicly urged the Trump administration to adopt authoritarian measures akin to those of El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele. This call for a crackdown on critics, described as “go full Bukele,” has been widely discussed in relation to Trump’s own responses to the same event, though direct evidence of coordination between the two remains limited and disputed.

Timeline and Nature of Interactions

The connection between Mannarino and Trump is primarily social and indirect, manifested through public statements and shared political narratives rather than documented personal interactions. In September 2025, following the Kirk assassination, Mannarino allegedly used his social media platform to advocate for harsh measures against critics, reportedly coordinating online campaigns with other influencers like Chaya Raichik to target individuals critical of Kirk. According to sources, several of those targeted received death threats, though the extent of Mannarino’s direct involvement in these outcomes is disputed. Meanwhile, Trump responded to the same assassination by ordering flags to be flown at half-staff, attending a memorial service at State Farm Stadium, and awarding Kirk a posthumous Presidential Medal of Freedom. Trump also issued statements blaming “the left” for fostering a climate of violence and signed an executive order designating antifa as a terrorist organization, despite no verified evidence linking the assassin, Tyler Robinson, to antifa.

Critics have pointed out inconsistencies in Trump’s responses to political violence, noting that he did not order flags lowered following the assassination of Minnesota lawmaker Melissa Hortman in June 2025. While Mannarino’s call for authoritarian measures aligns rhetorically with Trump’s strong stance against perceived enemies, there is no confirmed evidence that Trump directly endorsed or acted upon Mannarino’s specific suggestions. Supporters of both figures argue that their actions reflect a shared concern for law and order, while opponents contend that such rhetoric risks escalating political tensions and undermining democratic norms.

Significance to The Big Lie Narrative

The relationship between Mannarino and Trump holds relevance to the broader context of The Big Lie—the false claim of widespread fraud in the 2020 U.S. presidential election that fueled the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack and subsequent legal actions. Mannarino’s online influence and Trump’s political authority both contribute to narratives that challenge institutional trust and amplify polarization. Mannarino’s alleged campaigns to target critics echo tactics used by some right-wing groups to silence opposition, a dynamic that critics link to the post-2020 election climate of disinformation. Similarly, Trump’s unfounded claims about antifa and “the left” in the wake of the Kirk assassination parallel the rhetoric of The Big Lie, reinforcing distrust in political adversaries. While the direct impact of their connection on these broader issues remains debated, it underscores the intersection of social media influence and political power in shaping public discourse.