Critics of the far-right are fuming over a “White Boy Summer” flag that was unfurled during the conservative group Turning Point USA’s People’s Convention, which was headlined by former President Donald Trump.
But it’s not just left-wing critics who are angered by the slogan’s usage—worried about its racist connotation—far-right commentator Nick Fuentes is upset too.
Video shared on social media shows the on-stage flag reveal, as well hats with the same slogan being tossed into the audience.
Right-wing commentator Jack Posobiec, one of the convention’s speakers, then addressed the crowd, saying: “It kinda feels like it’s a white boy summer around here.”
The slogan was first popularized by Tom Hanks’ son, Chet Hanks, who released a song by the same title in 2021.
According to the Anti-Defamation League, while the song itself was not intended to be hateful, its slogan has been co-opted by some white supremacists online. But the ADL additionally notes that “non-extremists also continue to use the phrase, but in largely non-hateful contexts.”
The flag reveal at the Detroit convention though was taken to have racist undertones by left-wingers—some of whom argued that the context, in this case, was clear.
“This is frightening on multiple levels,” replied one person.
“In case anyone is confused, this is what White Boy Summer is and this is what it has ALWAYS been,” another person said, including an image of people holding Confederate flags and outfitted in Ku Klux Klan robes.
“White Boy Summer,” wrote someone else with a picture from the 2017 white supremacist “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville.
Some users did not appear to know the origin of the slogan—from Hanks’ play on Megan Thee Stallion’s “Hot Girl Summer” hit.
“What’s this suppose to mean?” asked one left-wing X user.
Other left-wing users played into the slogan, using it to caption photos of frumpy right-wing figures ranging from Rudy Giuliani to Steve Bannon to Trump to highlight the lack of summer bods on the right.
But the slogan’s appearance at the convention also left the far-right upset.
“White Boy Summer” is a favorite slogan of Fuentes, whose white nationalist views and “hateful racist rhetoric” has gotten him booted from the Conservative Political Action Conference multiple times.
In 2021, Fuentes crashed CPAC with a group of his supporters (called Groypers)—all while chanting “America First” and “White Boy Summer.”
Now, Fuentes is furious that “White Boy Summer” is being popularized in conservative circles.
During a recent livestream, Fuentes mocked Posobiec’s move and argued he was responsible for popularizing the phrase.
“We invented that, well I shouldn’t say that. Chet Hanks, literally three years ago, said ‘White Boy Summer’ and the Groypers heard the call,” Fuentes said. “And we did White Boy Summer in 2021. We did the White Boy Summer roadtrip, we did the White Boy Summer tour, we did the White Boy Summer playlist.”
“That was years ago, that was in 2021, three years ago,” he added. “Fast forward three years later, and Jack Posobiec is trying to make it cool again.”
He described Turning Point’s play on the song as “completely shameless,” adding: “White Boy Summer was three years ago, what are you talking about?”
Fuentes also replied Posobiec’s video entrance, quipping: “Lmao thats crazy whyd you make it suck tho”
Fuentes might have been miffed, though, over his recent interactions with Turning Point, as he was removed from the convention on Friday by security. Fuentes said he was not given a reason but claimed to his supporters that his removal was because “Israel controls this event.”
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