Photo: BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI / AFP / Getty Images
A White House staffer may have been operating an anonymous pro-Trump social media account while helping shape official administration messaging.
The X account “Johnny MAGA,” which has nearly 300,000 followers, frequently promotes President Donald Trump’s posts and attacks his critics. However, WIRED reports the account appears to be connected to Garrett Wade, a rapid response manager at the White House.
The outlet cited publicly available records — including a phone number allegedly linked to both Wade and the account — as well as a source close to the White House who confirmed the connection. Wade and the White House did not respond to requests for comment.
The reporting comes amid scrutiny over how the administration handled messaging following the fatal shooting of Renee Good in Minneapolis by an ICE agent. As protests erupted, official White House accounts circulated footage of flag burnings and clashes between demonstrators and federal agents. The Johnny MAGA account amplified that content, casting doubt on claims that ICE shot an innocent civilian.
The account does not disclose any affiliation with the White House.
Johnny MAGA has consistently boosted Trump’s Truth Social posts, including defending the president after his account reposted a racist AI-generated video depicting Barack and Michelle Obama as apes earlier this month. The anonymous account echoed the White House’s claim that Trump did not view the full video before it was shared.
According to federal campaign finance records reviewed by WIRED, a Garrett Wade from suburban Philadelphia made political donations through WinRed in 2023 and 2024, listing employers that include Opinion Architects, a digital consulting firm owned by former Trump communications aide Taylor Budowich. Ethics disclosures show Opinion Architects has done work tied to Trump-aligned political groups.
The report raises transparency concerns about the blurred line between official government messaging and what appears to be independent online support.
Samuel Woolley, a University of Pittsburgh professor who studies disinformation and media ethics, told WIRED that when political insiders operate anonymous accounts without disclosure, it risks undermining public trust.
There are currently no federal rules requiring political influencers to disclose relationships with campaigns or government entities. In 2023, the Federal Election Commission declined to mandate such transparency.
As of now, the White House has not publicly addressed the allegations.
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