Like him or not, Donald Trump has been a political figure like no other in American history. He inspires a type of fanaticism rarely seen in politics. One of the ways his supporters show their love is by making themselves known.
His supporters wear bold, red hats with “MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN” written in stark white, all capital letters. A lot of the shirts sold at his rallies have crass sayings such as “Hillary for Prison” or “I support Trump and I will not apologize for it.”
Then there are the flags. The massive, blue TRUMP 2020 MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN banners you see draped from homes, boats, and businesses.
These utterly tacky pronouncements of devotion to Trump mirror his ostentatious, in-your-face personality. These flags and hats are also seen as a means to intimidate.
Some have even compared MAGA hats to confederate flags.
On the other hand, Joe Biden supporters were a lot less visible in 2020. But that’s probably because his victory was more about defeating Trump than anything else. Also, those looking to repudiate Trumpism are probably a little leery about looking obnoxious.
Dominic Andre, a science communicator with over six million followers on TikTok, decided to give Trump supporters a taste of their own medicine after Biden’s victory. He flew a massive flag on the front of his home that reads “TRUMP LOST LOL” in the style of the pro-Trump flags he saw in his neighborhood.
Andre’s flag was an act of rebellion in the area. Social media sites show he lives in Villa Park, California, a small city in eastern Orange County that’s known as one of the most consistently Republican cities in the state.
In 2020, 60% of Villa Park residents voted for Trump, 38% for Biden. This was an improvement for Democrats, Trump doubled Hillary Clinton’s vote total in 2016.
Flying the “TRUMP LOST LOL” flag also could have put Andre and his family in danger. Lasts week’s riot at the Capitol building shows what can happen when a group of angry Trump supporters doesn’t get their way.
Plus, Andre is Middle Eastern and Trump built a lot of his support around anti-Muslim sentiment.
But here’s what happened after Andre put up his flag.
The video is a beautiful display of support from neighbors who also felt outnumbered and, possibly, intimidated. The most darling part of the video is the elderly woman who says, “I live on the next block and I wanted to thank you guys for all of the flags and signs and everything you put up.”
In another video, a neighbor dropped by to give him some wine.
Some might say Andre’s sign makes him look like a sore winner. But when you’re outnumbered in a neighborhood with a lot of massive, pro-Trump flags and the president himself can’t admit defeat, it’s fine to have a little fun.
Plus, he gave his neighbors who don’t like Trump the chance to feel seen. Isn’t that what we all want?
