New Right Figures Face Scrutiny Over Shifting Early COVID-19 Stances

A recent observation by author Phil Magness highlights an apparent contradiction among some New Right influencers regarding their early positions on COVID-19 restrictions. Magness, a senior research fellow at the American Institute for Economic Research, noted on social media that an unnamed New Right figure "rebuts" accusations of being a "Covidian restrictionist" in early 2020 by, ironically, "bragging about being a Covidian restrictionist" during that period. This comment points to a broader trend of certain public figures re-evaluating or re-framing their initial responses to the pandemic.

The phenomenon described by Magness is explored in his recent Reason article, "The Anti-Lockdown Imposters of the New Right." The article details how several prominent New Right personalities, including Curtis Yarvin (also known as Mencius Moldbug), Mike Cernovich, Steve Bannon, and Jack Posobiec, initially advocated for stringent measures in the early months of 2020. Yarvin, for instance, proposed "Wuhan-style lockdowns" and "involuntary tracking, testing, and isolation," while Bannon called for a "full hammer on the virus right now with a full shutdown."

These early alarmist positions, which included calls for travel bans and severe economic interventions, stand in stark contrast to the later anti-lockdown and anti-expert narratives adopted by many within the New Right. Cernovich, who once attacked then-President Trump for moving too slowly against the virus, later became a vocal critic of pandemic restrictions. Similarly, Bannon and Posobiec, who broadcast apocalyptic warnings in January 2020, have since reinvented themselves as leaders of the COVID-era resistance movement.

Magness's analysis suggests that while genuine fear may have motivated some initial alarm, opportunistic motives also played a role, with figures attempting to align the pandemic response with existing political grievances, such as anti-globalization sentiments. The tweet underscores a perceived inconsistency where past advocacy for strict measures is now presented as a point of pride, even as the broader New Right narrative has shifted to oppose such interventions. This evolving stance highlights the complex and often contradictory nature of political discourse surrounding the pandemic.