Food Stamps, Memes, and a Possible Mothership

SNAP surges to the top. And not for the reasons I wish it would.

We’ve seen a tidal shift this week in The Drift. The top 10 has been shaken up, and a new #1 has emerged:

🥇 SNAP (Food Stamps)
🥈 Government Shutdown
🥉 Immigration

On paper, seeing SNAP jump to the top spot might feel like good news: Finally, attention on something that actually affects people’s lives across party lines. But behind that spike is something more sinister.

A surge of racist memes, manosphere garbage, and far-right mockery is flooding the zone. It’s pushing people to search for SNAP information—both to punch down and, heartbreakingly, to figure out how to access food they can no longer afford.

This isn’t a new tactic. It’s the same old cruelty of “welfare queen” tropes, but recycled through AI-generated sludge and influencer bait.

And unlike the East Wing “Trump Ballroom” distraction, which was a firecracker in the Zeitgeist, the SNAP narrative is not going to disappear anytime soon. At least while the government is still shut down.

📢 The Good News: At least someone’s fighting back

One bright spot: WorkMoney is running ads at scale on Meta asking Americans if Congress should cut food stamps. The creative is a little behind given that the cuts hit next week, but the message matters: Your voice counts.

Compare that to the Right, who spent the week glorifying a golden ballroom and mocking families who can’t afford groceries.

👽 Also in The Drift: A Possible Mothership?

Coming in at #10 this week: 3i/Atlas: the interstellar comet some say could be a mothership, or just an oddly shaped space rock. Either way, it’s gaining search momentum and attracting speculation from both sci-fi influencers and right-wing Telegram channels. Should we be worried? Depends who’s driving.

🧠 Model Update: No More Trump (NMT) Jumps to 61%

While not yet visible in The Drift top 10, our NMT model—which tracks the likelihood Trump won’t be president in a year—jumped to 61% this week.

Why? Two big signals:

When presidents start bragging about acing neurological screening tools, it’s usually a sign things aren’t going great behind the curtain. Remember, this is a test that toddlers can ace—and Trump is emphasizing how hard it was. The power vacuum that Stephen Miller and others are preparing for is getting more real.

A Closing Thought

SNAP serves 12.5% of Americans. Many of them are Trump voters. Some may say it’s worth going hungry to “own the libs,” but when their kids are eating dinner from mutual aid fridges, will they still feel the same?

What we’re watching isn’t just about cruelty. It’s about opportunity. These moments, as painful as they are, create space to build unexpected coalitions, wedge new fault lines inside MAGA-world, and reclaim ground for truth and solidarity. 

We just need more folks putting real resources behind these stories. And maybe someone can tell WorkMoney to update their ad creative, too! 

📍What Is The Drift?

For years, I’ve helped movements, candidates, and causes ride the waves of the digital zeitgeist. Whether the goal was persuasion, pressure, or turnout, the most consistent wins came down to one thing: timing.

This weekly report empowers you to drive the conversation and seize the moment.

The Drift scores each topic weekly across:

It’s not a crystal ball. But it’s a solid compass.

What’s your take on the trends this week?
Hit reply or email [email protected] and let me know.

Thanks, as always, for being part of this community.
—Keegan