MAGA Conspiracists Quiet on Human Trafficking Posts

The Shift in MAGA Narratives on Human Trafficking

For years, a segment of the pro-Trump QAnon movement and its associated influencers have propagated alarming conspiracy theories about human trafficking and the sexual exploitation of children by powerful liberal elites. These narratives suggested that former President Donald Trump was engaged in a secret battle against this supposed cabal of predators, promising to bring them to justice. However, with Trump back in the White House, those who once actively spread fears of a trafficking epidemic have significantly reduced their mentions of it.

A recent joint social media study conducted by Montclair State University's Center for Strategic Communication and its Global Center on Human Trafficking reveals a notable decline in discussions about trafficking among prominent MAGA accounts. From the start of this year through July 20, these accounts featured 64 percent fewer posts about trafficking compared to the same period in 2023. That year marked the highest volume of trafficking-related posts from online conservative voices. The study authors, Daniela Peterka-Benton and Bond Benton, noted a 79 percent reduction in trafficking posts between 2023 and 2025.

The reasons behind the peak in trafficking discussions in 2023 remain unclear, though Peterka-Benton suggests that the hit movie Sound of Freedom, which resonated with conservative audiences, could have played a role. While the film embraces various trafficking myths, it is not explicitly a QAnon movie. However, QAnon advocates and related accounts embraced the film so strongly that it became perceived as an endorsement of QAnon and trafficking myths.

The movie portrays forced abduction as the primary method of trafficking, despite such cases being rare. As QAnon-adjacent voices spread fear that kidnappers were taking people from shopping mall parking lots and playgrounds, the film’s success provided an opportunity to amplify these myths.

The decline in trafficking-related content began last year, before Trump’s second term. This shift becomes more apparent as Trump continues to face questions about his association with the late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein. The Justice Department and FBI released a short memo indicating no new disclosures about Epstein’s trafficking of underage girls. When asked about potentially pardoning Epstein accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell, who was convicted for sex trafficking, Trump stated he was "allowed" to do so. Maxwell has appealed her conviction to the Supreme Court and has offered to testify before Congress about Epstein in exchange for clemency.

Despite calls from right-wingers for more information on Epstein, they seem to have turned a blind eye to the broader issue of trafficking. Among the far-right accounts analyzed, including those of Pizzagate promoter Jack Posobiec, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, anti-LGBTQ podcaster Matt Walsh, and Donald Trump Jr., none mentioned this month's cuts to the State Department’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, which made headlines in mainstream press.

This indicates that these groups never addressed trafficking in responsible or realistic terms, instead using it to incite panic and grow their audiences. Domestically, programs for prevention and support for survivors have been defunded under the guise of stopping DEI and “woke” programs, disproportionately affecting marginalized groups at higher risk of trafficking.

The study also suggests that the decline in traction of trafficking posts might be due to reduced audience engagement. For example, Greene’s most viewed post on trafficking in 2023 saw a 97 percent decrease in visibility compared to her most recent post. Similar trends were observed for posts from Posobiec and Mike Cernovich, suggesting decreased interest from their audiences.

Another possibility is that the panic over trafficking led to destructive personal feuds, reducing its appeal as a weaponized idea. Accusing opponents of trafficking has been a unifying message among influential accounts, but this tactic can lead to individuals on the same side of the political spectrum using the smear against one another. This may have diminished interest in trafficking-related content over time.

Even if MAGA has moved away from its paranoid fantasies about white children being snatched from public spaces, lasting damage has been done. Trafficking is typically the result of broader injustice, and QAnon has hindered efforts to address these injustices. Instead, the narrative has resembled the Satanic Panic of the 1980s, where trafficking became a tool to attack enemies rather than a real issue affecting vulnerable people. This self-serving approach will have unfortunate consequences for many years, with victims experiencing these consequences most acutely.