The Second Coming of Donald Trump

This chapter investigates how spiritual memes on the social media platform Truth Social galvanized support for Donald Trump&s;s 2024 presidential campaign. Although Truth Social has only about one percent the number of users of rival platform X, it remains important as Donald Trump&s;s own platform where he posts frequently. This chapter provides an overview of key categories in Trump&s;s “spiritual” support base who are active on the platform, ranging from prophecy-oriented charismatic Christians to QAnon conspiracy believers. It discusses the subversive political importance of internet memes. It then provides a content analysis of 100 spiritual image posts on Truth Social from the height of the campaign, exploring their wider memetic significance. Many of these image posts portray Trump as an awe-inspiring divinely anointed leader. The main argument put forward is that Truth Social is a “charisma factory” in which Trump supporters perpetually work to renew his charismatic authority. Trump&s;s charismatic status then grants him moral license in the eyes of these supporters to act as an apocalyptic figure who seeks vengeance. This chapter, therefore, serves as an explanation for the particular roles Truth Social played in Trump&s;s electoral success and in the legitimation of his apocalyptic—and prospectively violent—populism.