The alt-lite, also known as the alt-light[1] and the new right,[2] is a loosely defined right-wing political movement whose members regard themselves as separate from both mainstream conservatism and the far-right, white nationalist alt-right.
According to extremism scholar George Hawley, alt-lite was coined by white nationalists as a pejorative, in an attempt to exclude more moderate figures from the alt-right.
[11] According to the ADL, there is crossover and line-toeing between the alt-right and alt-lite groupings, making it difficult or impossible to tell which side of the theoretical line they belong on.
These figures in the alt-lite entered the mainstream by alternating between courting and rejecting the more explicitly racist elements of the alt-right, massively expanding the movement's reach and ultimately placing it inside the White House.
[16] Breitbart News distanced itself from the alt-right and criticized other media outlets that described them in such a manner,[17] as did Milo Yiannopoulos, who insisted he had "nothing in common" with Spencer.
Many in the alt-lite criticize or oppose political correctness, Islam, feminism (sometimes restricted to the fourth wave), LGBT rights, welfare and illegal immigration.
[23] The Anti-Defamation League has published a list of people whom it calls alt-lite, consisting of writer and podcast host Brittany Pettibone, Maryland activist Colton Merwin, 2018 Senate Republican candidate from Virginia Corey Stewart, Proud Boys and Vice founder Gavin McInnes, English YouTuber Paul Joseph Watson, conspiracy theorist Jack Posobiec, right-wing activist Kyle Chapman, Proud Boys recruiter Kyle Prescott, conservative White House correspondent Lucian Wintrich, radio personality Mike Cernovich, and media provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos.