Elon Musk appeared at Donald Trump’s rally in Madison Square Garden wearing a black “MAGA” cap. The cap’s text was irregular, reminiscent of styles typically associated with heavy metal bands and old newspapers.
While the official “Make America Great Again” caps are red with white text, Musk’s variant was notably different. He described his style as “dark gothic MAGA.” However, the internet has noted that the font closely resembles the “blackletter” type, historically linked to Nazi Germany. This typography was once favoured for Germany’s folk-style Bible printing, but the Nazis later readopted it during Hitler’s rise to signify nationalism. It also appeared on the cover of Hitler’s autobiography, Mein Kampf.
Cheryl Jacobsen, a University of Iowa adjunct professor of lettering, mentioned to FastCompany Magazine that although the font fell out of use after rumours of its Jewish origins, its historical connotations persist.
Online commentators have been quick to analyse the implications. One user on X suggested that Musk’s choice of the Fraktur font at a rally reminiscent of the 1939 Nazi event in Madison Square Garden was a deliberate statement. In contrast, another user argued that the font is simply Old English, cautioning against overinterpretation.
In a related comment, John Kelly, former chief of staff to President Trump, described Trump as fitting the general definition of a fascist, citing his authoritarian tendencies and admiration for dictators.
In response to claims from Kamala Harris’s campaign, Trump countered at the rally, emphasising, “I’m not a Nazi. I’m the opposite of a Nazi.”
