“Let’s go Brandon”: Enigmatic new battle cry from Trump fans

The saying “Let’s go Brandon” can suddenly be heard all over the United States. It became the code word for Trump supporters to disdain the successor of their idol. The battle cry originated in a car race.

A Nascar car race in Alabama in early October. The racing driver Brandon Brown is interviewed while the battle cry “F * you, Biden” is heard loudly from the Trump-friendly audience. Presumably unintentionally, an NBC reporter turns it into “Let’s go Brandon”.

A new battle cry for Trump supporters emerged almost overnight. With it they can – encrypted and therefore completely safe – let their disgust for President Biden run free.

Thanks to social networks and conservative broadcasters like Fox News, the slogan “Let’s go Brandon” has since spread like wildfire in the right-wing political camp. Four “Let’s go Brandon” songs have already made it into the iTunes Top Ten. Former President Trump sells Let’s go Brandon T-shirts on his website. The lettering appears everywhere, on flags, hats and signs. And even in Congress, cryptic code words are used.

“Anger is louder and can be heard everywhere”

How can it be that such a slogan suddenly becomes a battle cry for a political movement? Mathew Demont, a history professor at Dartmouth College, New Hampshire, has a simple answer to this in the AP interview: Out of frustration.

People used to be upset with their presidents too. But in today’s internet times, this anger can be heard louder and everywhere. In addition, after 18 months of the pandemic, people are simply frustrated. The saying is so popular because you can use it to express your contempt in a funny way.

In addition, the political mood has changed to the detriment of the Democrats in recent weeks. The democratic party is divided. Because of two unruly Democrats, President Biden does not get his important investment projects through Congress. On top of that, the bitter setback in the gubernatorial election in Virginia and the almost defeat in New Jersey.

Biden scolders have already achieved their goal

That makes one or the other dissatisfied US citizen join in the “Let’s go Brandon” choir, confirms Stanley Renshon, political scientist at Cuny University in New York in an AP interview.

Biden is fighting a loss of credibility. No government can survive – and certainly no democracy – if people no longer trust their institutions. The saying is the proverbial tip of the iceberg.

And while journalists, academics and politicians are still debating whether “Lets go Brandon” falls into the “hate speech” category, the Biden insults have already achieved one goal: they have generated a lot of attention.