• by Joe Mandese , December 19, 2025

While I am a little disappointed that Media Matters didn't second my vote for the most destructive misinformer of the year -- the Global Alliance for Irresponsible Media -- it's tough for me to argue against who they did pick: White Nationalist internet personality Nick Fuentes.

The Media Matters rationale: Fuentes is skilled at exploiting the internet for gain," and he managed to combine it with "anti-establishment messaging that resonates with an audience that already had an appetite for it.”

Or as Media Matters President Angelo Carusone puts it: "Fuentes doesn’t simply misinform; he mobilizes, radicalizes, and pressures politicians, right-wing institutions, and media figures to normalize his extremist worldview. His influence is felt not only on podcasts and streaming platforms but also in the halls of power, as even high-profile Republican figures hesitate to confront him.

You can read the full rationale here, but here are some of the bulleted points cited for Fuentes' win:

• Online influence and “groyper” movement: Fuentes has a significant following online, with a network of supporters known as “groypers” promoting his white nationalist and Christian nationalist ideology. They have worked to infiltrate and influence other right-wing institutions, including Turning Point USA, pressuring them to adopt more extreme positions.

• Exploiting the internet for gain:  Fuentes has combined his understanding of the internet with anti-establishment messaging that resonates with an audience that already had an appetite for it. Fuentes understands the modern attention economy better than most — gaining attention is his currency, and extremism is his product. He has appeared on at least 20 right-leaning podcasts and online shows since July 2025, with his appearances on these shows garnering over 28 million views on YouTube, Rumble, and Kick. His interview with Tucker Carlson, which Fuentes called “so friendly,” drew millions of views and ignited fierce debate across right-wing media circles.

• Influence on right-wing media and right-wing political institutions: Fuentes and his supporters continue to infiltrate and influence right-wing media and political institutions. His ideas — once confined to white nationalist spaces — now echo in broader conservative discourse, including debates over immigration. Fuentes’ appearance on Tucker Carlson’s streaming show roiled right-wing political institutions and media, exacerbating intra-right-wing disputes. Politicians and media figures, including Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, have reportedly hesitated to confront Fuentes, increasing his influence.

• Misinformation and extremist messaging: Fuentes has repeatedly promoted antisemitic, racist, and misogynistic views, including Holocaust denial, pro-Hitler rhetoric, and calls to restrict the rights of women and minorities. Media Matters deems these lies and manipulations central to his influence as a misinformer.