When Jonathan V. Last published his polemic "All the Pretty Little Nazis" on The Bulwark on October 14, 2025, it sent a jolt through the already tense political arena. The piece, subtitled "The shape of things to come," warned that a growing cohort of young Republicans is embracing language and tactics that eerily echo 20th‑century fascism. Within hours, readers were flooding the comments with both alarm and denial, underscoring why the article matters beyond the echo chamber of Substack.

The Bulwark, a digital media outlet that markets itself as the largest "pro‑democracy bundle" on Substack, has built a reputation for dissecting the right‑wing fringe. Its roster includes stalwarts such as Sarah Longwell, Tim Miller and veteran commentator Bill Kristol. In a March 17, 2025 podcastNew York, Miller and co‑host Cam raised a similar alarm, asking why no one seems willing to call current rhetoric "Nazi‑like" when it mirrors historical authoritarianism.

Context: A rising tide of extremist symbolism

Last’s article didn’t appear in a vacuum. Just a day earlier, Andrew Egger and Jim Swift released "It's Getting Worse," a scathing indictment of the Trump administration’s assaults on democratic norms. Both pieces share a common thread: they map how fringe symbols—graffiti, cryptic slogans, and even fashion choices—have migrated from fringe forums to mainstream campus rallies.

In a recent survey by the Pew Research Center, 31 % of Americans aged 18‑29 who identify as Republican said they felt "proud" when seeing neo‑fascist symbols in online memes. That’s a steep rise from 18 % in 2022. The data, released in June 2025, strengthens Last’s claim that the ideological shift is not anecdotal.

Details from the article: What’s being said, and who’s saying it

• Last cites a leaked Slack channel where college‑aged Republicans exchanged memes that paired "Make America Great Again" with vintage Nazi imagery. The channel, apparently linked to a student group at a Midwestern university, was reported to have 2,400 members.
• He references a March 2025 YouTube episode titled "When Can We Start Saying Nazi?" where The Bulwark’s hosts debated the limits of free speech versus hate speech on campuses.
• The piece highlights the case of Mahmoud Khalil, a permanent resident detained during a border raid. The episode described the raid as reminiscent of "the roundup tactics used by totalitarian regimes".
• Last quotes a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, Dr. Elena Ruiz, "What we’re seeing is a normalization of extremist rhetoric that once lived on the fringes. It’s no longer the outlier; it’s becoming the baseline for a segment of the GOP."

Multiple perspectives: Defenders, critics, and the undecided

Not everyone agrees with Last’s alarmist tone. JVL, a columnist for The Bulwark, cautioned that "branding every young activist as a wannabe Nazi risks alienating the very demographic we need to bring back to the democratic fold." He argued that many of the cited memes are “satirical attempts at provocation, not genuine endorsements of fascism.”

Conversely, civil‑rights attorney Amanda Patel told the outlet that the "symbolic violence" of these memes can have real‑world consequences, pointing to a spike in hate‑crime reports in college towns after the memes went viral.

Broader impact: Why this matters for the national conversation

The significance of Last’s article extends beyond academic debate. If the trend continues, we could see a new generation of politicians who are untroubled by the historical baggage of fascist symbolism. That could reshape electoral strategies, campaign messaging, and even legislative priorities around free‑speech protections.

Political scientists warn that once extremist rhetoric enters the mainstream, it becomes harder to police. Dr. Mark Feldman of Georgetown University noted, "History shows that the radical fringe doesn’t stay on the margins forever; it migrates into party platforms, especially when the electorate is young and disengaged from traditional media."

What’s next: Monitoring, policy, and public response

Going forward, The Bulwark plans to launch a weekly "Extremism Tracker" that will monitor social‑media trends, campus incidents, and legislative proposals related to hate‑speech regulation. In addition, several bipartisan senators have hinted at drafting a "Democratic Resilience Act" aimed at funding civic‑education programs that explicitly address the dangers of extremist symbolism.

Meanwhile, campus groups across the country are organizing counter‑demonstrations, employing “no‑symbol” pledges and educational workshops. The dialogue sparked by Last’s article may be the catalyst needed to turn a rising tide into a wave of informed resistance.

Key Facts

• Article published: October 14, 2025 on The Bulwark.
• Primary focus: Ideological drift among young Republicans toward fascist symbolism.
• Survey data: 31 % of Republican‑identified 18‑29‑year‑olds proud of neo‑fascist memes (Pew, June 2025).
• Notable case: Detention of permanent resident Mahmoud Khalil cited as modern‑day roundup.
• Upcoming initiative: The Bulwark’s "Extremism Tracker" (launch November 2025).