A comprehensive examination of the editing trends on Wikipedia has revealed deliberate modifications to political articles, particularly an ongoing attempt to connect Donald Trump with fascism. Notably, the article on “Trumpism” features 31 mentions of fascism, over half of which were contributed by a single editor.
According to reports from PirateWires, recent scrutiny into Wikipedia’s editorial practices indicates substantial trends in the way political topics are being presented, especially those focused on former President Trump. The study indicates that various related articles have been created and adjusted with the intent to draw links between Trump and fascist ideology.
The investigation pinpointed several Wikipedia entries, such as “Trumpism,” “Donald Trump and Fascism,” “Fascism in North America,” and “Racial views of Donald Trump,” which exhibit clear patterns of coordinated editing. The “Trumpism” entry is particularly notable, as it includes 31 different references to fascism, with one editor, JJMesserly, responsible for over 50 percent of its content.
A closer analysis of the cited sources within these articles uncovers a trend of selective referencing. For example, a 2016 article from Scientific American by professors Stephen Reicher and Alexander Haslam was utilized to support specific claims, even though the authors clearly stated: “We are not comparing Trump, his supporters or their arguments to the Nazis in any way.” Their original intention in writing was to critique media tactics that vilify groups to further political narratives.
Additionally, the timing of article publications has sparked concerns about possible coordination with mainstream media. The article “Donald Trump and Fascism” was created on September 21, 2024, coinciding with the release of a lengthy piece in the Guardian titled “Is Donald Trump a Fascist?” The majority of this article’s content—91.2 percent—comes from two contributors, Di (they-them) and BootsED.
The organized effort to classify Trump as a fascist on Wikipedia carries significant implications due to the prominence these entries have in search results, particularly given the influence of left-leaning entities like Google. Wikipedia articles frequently top search results or appear in “Knowledge Panels,” and Google has invested substantial resources into the platform. This investment has previously resulted in labeling groups like the California GOP as “Nazis,” which can be seen as a precursor to the ongoing attempts to discredit Trump and his supporters.
