Un pourcentage significatif des compte MAGA influencer sur X sont des compte étranger.
Executive summary
X’s new “About this account” / country-of-origin feature revealed that many high‑profile MAGA-aligned accounts that post in support of U.S. politics are listed as based outside the United States — examples in reporting include accounts located in Eastern Europe, Thailand, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Japan and Indonesia [1] [2] [3]. Outlets and users say “dozens” of influential right‑wing accounts were flagged, though X and news reports note the tool can be affected by VPNs, proxies or download‑method artifacts and X’s product lead later said the tool would be “99.99% accurate” after updates [4] [3].
1. New feature peels back a layer — and sparks alarm
X rolled out an “About this account” / country‑of‑origin display that shows where accounts are based and how the app was downloaded; immediate scrutiny by users and journalists found many MAGA and pro‑Trump accounts that present as American appearing to be based abroad, prompting rapid public debate [2] [1]. Journalists and influencers posted screenshots showing recognizable handles — including MAGA NATION and others with hundreds of thousands or millions of followers — listed in countries such as non‑EU Eastern Europe, Thailand, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Japan and Indonesia [3] [5] [6].
2. Scale: “many” and “dozens,” not a definitive percentage
Multiple outlets use terms like “many,” “dozens” or “countless” to describe the accounts identified, and social posts amplified particular examples, but the reporting does not provide a precise percentage of MAGA accounts on X that are foreign‑based [7] [5] [8]. Available sources document numerous high‑profile examples and widespread attention, but none of the cited reports supply a systematic denominator or verified statistic to support a single percentage share [4] [3].
3. Variety of interpretations and political spin
Left‑leaning influencers framed the revelations as confirmation of longstanding warnings about foreign influence operations on the right; conservative and pro‑MAGA voices criticized the feature as misleading or noted that some profiles always listed foreign locations in their bios [1] [8]. Some sites and commentators assert these are “foreign troll” or “foreign influence” campaigns aimed at dividing Americans, while others note individual accounts may legitimately be run from abroad by supporters, amplifiers or commercial operators [9] [10].
4. Technical caveats: VPNs, proxies and app‑download metadata matter
X and reporting note important technical limitations: accounts can mask or alter apparent location via VPNs or proxies, and some ISP routing can create misleading labels; X’s product lead said the feature would be updated and claimed 99.99% accuracy after fixes, but the initial rollout included notices that location data may be inaccurate [4] [3]. Media also reported examples in which country labels reflected where an app was downloaded (Android vs iOS) or where an intermediary server sits — not necessarily the operator’s nationality or intent [11] [4].
5. Historical context: foreign actors have tried this before
Reporting places the current revelations against a backdrop of prior documented foreign influence efforts on social platforms — researchers and news outlets have cited Russian, Iranian and other campaigns around elections and regional causes — but the new reporting on X does not generally establish direct ties between the flagged MAGA accounts and state actors [11] [3]. Fortune and BBC‑cited coverage underscore that foreign‑origin accounts have been used previously to shape online debates, yet the recent examples lack public evidence linking them to foreign governments [3] [11].
6. What journalists and researchers will need next
To move from “many” and vivid examples to a defensible percentage, researchers must define the population (which MAGA accounts count), sample or audit X’s labels, and account for VPN/proxy artifacts; none of the cited pieces provides that rigorous audit or an agreed methodology [4] [7]. Independent verification and transparent methodology would be required to substantiate any claim that a “significant percentage” of MAGA influencer accounts on X are foreign‑operated.
7. Bottom line for readers
The new X feature exposed multiple prominent MAGA‑aligned accounts that are listed as operating from abroad, generating legitimate concern about foreign influence and manipulation of U.S. political discourse [1] [2]. Available reporting does not, however, supply a validated overall percentage of MAGA influencers on X who are foreign‑based; the evidence consists of many notable examples and broad claims from users and outlets rather than a systematic, peer‑reviewed measurement [4] [3].