The X account @johnnymaga has for years been regarded as a vocal pro-Trump presence with roughly 280,000 followers. The profile presented itself as an independent, right-leaning, campaign-aligned account. In reality, analyzed datasets and technical identifiers point to Garrett Wade, 27, a White House staffer. According to publicly available salary records, he earns $74,500 per year and manages the administration’s rapid response social media operations.
The phone number linked to the account is reportedly associated with Wade. Previous account names apparently included his birth year. His government role was never disclosed. Several media outlets cited posts from the profile as evidence of supposed grassroots support. At the same time, the account regularly amplified content from the president, including posts from Truth Social and positions supporting hardline immigration policy.
Garrett Wade is married to Allison Schuster, a press aide at the White House.
Particularly striking was a post in which a video depicting Barack and Michelle Obama as apes was described as a "masterpiece." The video triggered widespread criticism. Later, it was said from within the White House that a single staff member had published it. An apology from the president did not follow.
Wade previously worked for the digital consulting firm Opinion Architects, which received more than 325,000 dollars from Make American Great Again Inc. for consulting services. Payments through the Republican National Committee are also documented. He is married to Allison Schuster, 26, who also works at the White House. She repeatedly shared posts from the anonymous account, including praise for Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. The case raises a fundamental question: when a government employee operates a high reach political account under a pseudonym, the line between public office and activism begins to blur. Transparency is not a secondary issue but a prerequisite for trust.
The account did not limit itself to praising the president. It targeted political opponents and sharply commented on ongoing events. After the fatal shooting of an ICE agent in Minneapolis, the profile wrote in substance that one should not assume it involved an innocent victim. California Governor Gavin Newsom was also repeatedly attacked personally. The content did not appear spontaneous but rather like coordinated amplification of official lines. Despite this close alignment with the administration, the connection to the White House was never disclosed. Neither Garrett Wade nor the White House has publicly commented on the allegations so far.
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