Influencer X accounts try to defend their US patriotism, despite having never set foot in the country

Last week, social media platform X made public the national origins of all its user accounts, revealing that many of the platform’s loudest voices on contentious U.S. issues are actually based in Africa and Asia.

Some accounts are motivated by profit, such as fake Native American grievance pages run from Bangladesh or Nigerians posing as Trump-supporting Midwestern moms—selling T-shirts and merchandise to monetize their followers.

For others, the reasons are more complex. Ian Miles Cheong, a Malaysian-born, Dubai-based writer with 1.2 million followers on X, has built a reputation for sharp social criticism and championing the new right in American politics. Despite being physically outside the U.S., Cheong says his audience assumed he was domestic. “The idea that you can’t have a say on anything regarding America just because you don’t live there is kind of silly,” Cheong, 40, told The Post. “What happens in America happens everywhere else. On top of that, practically every country has a U.S. military base—it’s an empire, like it or not, and people are going to have opinions.”

An account summary page for "AMERICAN Voice" showing it joined in April 2022, is based in South Asia, was verified in October 2025, has had 15 username changes, and is connected via the South Asia App Store. — Content from the foreign influencer accounts was nearly indistinguishable from their American counterparts, where the accounts amassed followings in the millions.

Bangladesh was discovered to be a hotbed of fake Native American grievance content.

When X revealed Cheong’s true location, he became a target for criticism. One prominent American podcaster wrote to him: “You’ve never set foot in America and yet you spend every day trying to influence our culture and politics… If you don’t see why that might rub Americans the wrong way, I don’t know what to tell you.”

Cheong distinguishes his work from the army of foreign “fan” accounts supporting figures in President Trump’s administration, such as Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt and Border Czar Tom Homan, which were revealed to operate from India, Macedonia, Thailand, and Africa under names like “MAGA Official” or “MAGA Scope.” Unlike Cheong, these accounts largely offer uncritical praise.

Darren Linville, smiling and wearing a dark blazer over a light blue shirt. — What you’re seeing is capitalism at work. It’s the system that X built. These influencers are doing exactly what influencers who are actually located in the United States are doing and for all the same reasons,” media forensics expert Darren Linvill said. Courtesy of Darren Linville

For American commentators, exposing these accounts is valuable. “It takes away that mask and shows Americans exactly who’s speaking, giving you a chance to understand possible ulterior motives,” said Drew Allen, a California-based podcaster. “Social media has leveled the playing field, letting people influence discourse without vetting by news organizations. But a foreigner can’t grasp the body politic of America the way a citizen can.”

Drew Allen. — American podcaster Drew Allen told The Post that he respects the talent it takes to build a large social media following, but in America nothing beats the real deal–those with skin in the game. Courtesy of Drew Allen

Fake Natives based in Bangladesh tapped into a niche American community to sell t-shirts and beaded shower curtains.

Cheong acknowledges some criticism is valid. He agrees that foreign influence networks—like Russia’s Internet Research Agency or China’s bot farms—pose real problems, saying, “I do think they’ve been polluting the discourse… these people should not be able to influence anything.”

The X disclosure also uncovered state-sponsored campaigns previously unknown. Accounts pretending to advocate for Scottish independence from the UK were actually based in Iran, while Chinese networks tried to sway users in the Philippines toward pro-China sentiment, according to Darren Linvill, a media forensics expert at Clemson University.

Ian Miles Cheong, wearing a brown shirt and a dark cap, looking directly at the camera. — Cheong called America an empire, and said all this is par for the course. Courtesy of Ian Miles Cheong

Linvill notes that while government-backed interference gets attention, most misleading accounts are simply profit-driven. “What you’re seeing is capitalism at work. Influencers abroad are doing the same things as U.S.-based influencers, for the same reasons,” he said.

Bangladesh has unexpectedly become a hub for accounts pretending to be Native Americans. At least six pages, such as @NativeNationUSA and @Support_Natives, operate from South Asia, posting memes about stolen land, Native history, and anti-Trump messaging—while selling $30 T-shirts and $60 beaded shower curtains. “It’s always T-shirts. If we eliminated merchandise and crypto on social media, you’d solve half the problem,” Linvill said.

Some real Native Americans expressed outrage, accusing these foreign accounts of exploiting Native “trauma” for profit and calling for X to ban them. Many of the African and Asian accounts contacted by The Post did not respond.

Linvill notes that even small payouts from X can be significant in countries like Bangladesh or Nigeria, where GDP per capita is far lower than in the U.S. Allen adds that building a social media following requires skill, and engagement ultimately reflects audience choice. “It can be frustrating, not because of jealousy. The cream rises to the top, and a lot of these people have earned their followings,” he said.

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