The California Republican Party became the first state party to institute a purge of suspected white nationalist “groypers,” right-wing followers of the influencer Nick Fuentes.
Fuentes, known for his inflammatory rhetoric, controversial views, and popularity among young, right-wing individuals, has grown in popularity over the past few years. His devotees are popularly known as “groypers,” a group whose views vary but can be widely characterized as white nationalist. Though once a fan of President Donald Trump, his hostility toward Israel and the Jewish community helped drive him against the president, urging his followers to vote for Democrats in 2026 and 2028.
Fuentes’s skillful use of meme culture has boosted his popularity among the youth, which he’s encouraged to infiltrate establishment conservative groups. The California Republican Party took drastic moves to exorcise Fuentes’s influence, sending out a memo dated Feb. 19, obtained by the Free Press, urging its members to identify and purge his followers.
“The ideology is characterized as White Nationalist; hostile to constitutional, limited-government conservatism; highly critical of MAGA and President Trump; and opposing of the civil rights of women, gays, and racial minorities,” the memo read, referring to groypers.
The memo was sent out to all 58 Republican county parties in California. Local leaders were directed to “refrain from recruiting, supporting, or endorsing candidates” who “espouse,” “promote,” or “campaign” on Fuentes’s ideas. Local leadership was instructed to “review organizational bylaws” and ensure they have the authority to purge followers of Fuentes.
Fuentes has largely occupied the fringes of right-wing politics for the past decade, confined to a narrow group of followers after being ostracized in 2017 for his participation in the Charlottesville “Unite the Right” rally. He slowly grew his following through his online show, which allowed him to meet with Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ) and former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, though the latter soon disavowed him.
Fuentes’s longtime support for Trump culminated in an infamous 2022 dinner at Mar-a-Lago, when rapper Kanye West brought him along as a guest. Fuentes became embittered when Trump openly disavowed him after finding out who he was.
Fuentes soon began campaigning against Trump, spending the 2024 election trying to wield his influence to depress turnout for Trump in key swing states. The effort failed to make a dent, with Trump winning every swing state and the popular vote.
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The right-wing personality renewed his efforts against Trump last year over the president’s handling of the Epstein Files, along with criticism that he wasn’t right-wing enough. His vitriol against Trump reached a fever pitch with the launch of Operation Epic Fury as Fuentes pledged to vote for Democrats in 2026 in an effort to tank the Trump administration, and urged his followers to do likewise.
Despite growing fears about Fuentes, his open hatred of Trump has largely neutered his influence within the Republican Party. Candidates running on an open “groyper” platform have fared poorly in elections and have yet to occupy any prominent official positions.