Pregaming Annihilation: Inside the Wild ‘Will Trump Nuke Iran?’ Party in NYC

Pregaming Annihilation: A Night of Tech Bros, Edgelords, and E‑Girls

In the heart of Manhattan, a clandestine gathering dubbed “Will Trump nuke nuclear Iran?” turned into a chaotic showcase of what participants called pregaming annihilation. Reporter Nick Dove slipped among the crowd of self‑styled futurists, right‑wing hipsters, and livestream‑hungry e‑girls, documenting the scene for VICE’s Members Only.

From Kanye’s UK Ban to Trump’s War Rhetoric

While the week saw Kanye West barred from the United Kingdom and Donald Trump threaten a civil catastrophe over the Strait of Hormuz, the party’s noise dwarfed any geopolitical drama. Reuters noted the heightened tensions, yet the party’s host, entrepreneur Dryden Brown, seemed more interested in “revitalizing Western civilization” through meme‑fuelled theatrics.

“It’s time for the wiggas,” shouted a self‑proclaimed “edgelord,” before launching into a litany of bragged conquests over mutual Instagram followers.

Guests swapped stories of midnight hookups in parking lots, flaunted their “mog” credentials, and invited strangers to co‑stream their antics. One attendee boasted, “I’m new from LA, I mog, I fucking mog,” eliciting nervous laughter from onlookers.

The event, funded by a ↑ $2/month digital subscription, reflects a broader cultural shift. Hugo Hansen’s recent essay on VICE argues that the spectacle is less about a new “dinergoth” class and more about the domestication of the internet and lingering class divides.

For a full transcript of Dove’s field notes and Hansen’s analysis, Bloomberg provides additional context on the rising influence of tech‑centric subcultures in elite circles.