EXCLUSIVE: Viral Meme Mocking MAGA Hardliners Was Made By America First Conservative

A grotesque, beer-guzzling caricature created to mock unquestioning MAGA influencers has become an unlikely mascot in conservative corners of the internet, and the anonymous creator behind it is himself a conservative who considers himself “America First,” he revealed to the Daily Caller News Foundation.

The creator of Forbidden HQ, a viral political satire account, spoke exclusively with the DCNF about the character widely known as “MAGAtard,” an exaggerated MAGA hardliner who reflexively rationalizes whatever new political talking point comes his way. The creator drew a distinction between the political principles he associates with America First and what he sees as an increasingly personality-driven MAGA culture — a divide that has become more visible as conservatives clash over issues including the Iran war.

“My values are conservative,” the creator, who was granted anonymity due to privacy concerns, told the DCNF.

The DCNF independently verified the creator’s identity.

“Forbidden HQ is, it’s mostly satire. It’s entertainment,” he told the DCNF. “We take politics, internet culture, memes, public figures, politicians, celebrities, and turn all of that into basically ridiculous cinematic worlds. Nobody’s really safe from it, whether it’s left, right, establishment, anti-establishment.”

“If there’s something funny there, and there’s a discussion around it, we’ll make fun of it,” he said.

In Forbidden HQ’s breakout video, the red-hatted character sits at his computer with a vacant grin, dutifully parroting defenses of everything from government surveillance and artificial intelligence data centers to the war in Iran.

The caption supplies the punchline: “Conservative Inc influencers after the group chat sends out the new talking points.”

The “MAGAtard” character was never supposed to represent every Trump voter, the creator told the DCNF.