The evolution of MIGA: how Trump’s slogan changed meaning
In his latest call for protests in Iran, Donald Trump ended his message with the phrase MIGA — Make Iran Great Again— a clear play on his long-standing domestic slogan MAGA, Make America Great Again.
MAGA was originally framed as a movement of domestic renewal. It focused on economic revival, political elites and avoiding prolonged foreign wars. The idea of prioritising internal issues over overseas conflicts was central to Trump’s “America First” narrative.
Early in his presidency, critics on both the right and the left began using MIGA sarcastically as Make Israel Great Again. The phrase was meant to mock what they saw as Trump’s strong alignment with Israel at the expense of his stated inward-looking agenda.
Over time, however, MIGA was not abandoned but repurposed. Trump and his allies appear to have embraced the acronym and reassigned its meaning, shifting the focus from Israel to Iran. Make Iran Great Again is now used as a rhetorical tool tied to pressure on Tehran and expressions of support for Iranian protesters.
That shift was symbolised last week when Trump posed for a photograph with a close ally in the Senate, holding an autographed hat bearing the words “Make Iran Great Again”. The image underscored how a domestic political brand has evolved into a message with explicit foreign policy implications.
