This Summer, the Kids Are ‘Nixon Maxxing’

History is written by the victors, and more than 30 years after his death, Richard Nixon is finally being vindicated.

During an interview earlier this month at the Nixon Presidential Library, Vice President JD Vance observed that “Nixon’s historical legacy is enjoying a bit of a cultural renaissance, and deservedly so.”

Vance has clearly noticed the growing online phenomenon of young conservatives taking ownership of Richard Nixon and transforming him into a social media star.

The trend was ignited over the past year by the Richard Nixon Foundation’s social media accounts, which began posting archival photos and videos of the former president that are specifically tailored to reach Gen Z. Clips of Nixon’s speeches and even of Nixon walking to Notorious B.I.G. songs are proving to be stylish and engaging content.

The Foundation’s Instagram page now has almost 110,000 followers. Social media influencers began posting videos of themselves unboxing Nixon-themed merchandise, a tote bag with the phrase “Pretty Girls for Nixon” went viral, and people online began arguing whether Nixon was the greatest president of all time. Gen Z adopted the phrase “Nixonmaxxing” as a descriptor of their newfound affection for the 37th president.

The youth embrace of Nixon is surprising, given how he has been portrayed in the media and in school curricula for the past few decades. In AP U.S. history study guides, for instance, Nixon is often depicted negatively, primarily focusing on the Watergate scandal and accusing him of eroding the public’s trust in the government.

Renowned historian Nigel Hamilton compared Nixon to Hitler: “Like that of the leader of the Third Reich, Richard Nixon’s downfall was one of prolonged agony as his enemies closed in upon him after the Watergate break-in of June 1972.” Fellow historian Randall J. Stephens has similarly characterized Nixon as a “power-hungry authoritarian.”

Movies like Nixon (1995) and Watchmen (2009) have also done their fair share to tarnish his name, portraying him as paranoid, power-hungry, and deeply corrupt. Even “Futurama” humorously depicts Nixon’s floating head fighting for political control in the year 3000. Pop culture painted Nixon as a supervillain, and many young people never questioned that narrative.

In 2023, Nathan Pinkoski’s article “How the Deep State Took Down Nixon” helped shift the conversation about Nixon. Pinkoski argues that Nixon was the target of a sinister scheme by deep-state operatives to undermine his presidency and destroy his administration. He makes a compelling case that the Watergate scandal was an act of sabotage, and that the nefarious image of Nixon we often see is something of a myth.

Through his analysis of formerly classified documents, Pinkoski concludes that the Watergate scandal was part of an “institutional ‘conflict’” and “that Nixon was removed from office not because he endangered the constitutional order, but because his bureaucratic and political enemies plotted successfully against him.” Pinkoski also highlights the challenges Nixon overcame to win the presidency in a landslide victory, championing his efficacy as a statesman and political operative.

Pinkoski’s analysis of Nixon set off waves of online discussion, as people began to realize that perhaps Nixon had been unfairly maligned. However, it should come as no surprise that his resurgence as a beloved public figure came shortly after the 2024 election.

As Vance put it, “If you look at the story of how the deep state took down Richard Nixon, it’s not all that different from what the same group of people, the same institutions, tried to do to Donald Trump.”

Vance has a point. The public’s perception of President Donald Trump has been negatively influenced by the misdeeds of his political enemies. The Russiagate hoax, impeachment attempts, and lawfare Trump has faced indicate that he is fighting against a powerful and enraged bureaucracy.

Trump’s popularity with young people might help explain why some young people have fully embraced “Nixonmaxxing.” In 2024, Trump earned a larger share of the youth vote than he had in both of his previous elections, indicating that he had growing favorability. One YouGov poll showed that shortly after his election, Trump had a whopping 57% favorability rating among voters aged 18-29. 56% of young men voted for Trump.

Trump spoke openly about how he was lied about and targeted by mainstream media outlets, a populist message that resonated with young people who felt like they were being ignored by elitist Democrats.

Both Trump and Nixon are appealing because they feel countercultural. As conservatives face the threats of oppressive leftwing media conglomerates, DEI, and socialism, they feel like rebels. Nixon was considered a threat to the state, and he was removed from office in faux disgrace. Trump was considered a threat to the state, and he was dragged into a Fulton County jail to be humiliated.

Many young people are concerned that if they push back against liberal narratives, they will be silenced, threatened, and mocked. Nixon was taken down by the deep state, something many modern conservatives can personally sympathize with.

Nixon’s life and legacy are resonating with the next generation of patriots who believe they need “Nixon, now more than ever.”

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