Shocking Twist: MAGA Politics Invades ‘Love Island’ Villa – Inside the Controversial Takeover That’s Dividing Fans!
The sun is blazing, the swimsuits are tiny, and America’s hottest dumb show is back.
Peacock just kicked off the seventh season of Love Island USA, the reality television show that sees a group of hot singles shipped off to a tropical villa in Fiji, following them throughout the summer as they flirt, fight, and fumble their way to love.
But this season, there’s a twist no one saw coming and no one asked for: MAGA has officially entered the villa. And let’s just say that, based on the reaction on social media, viewers are not fans.
Meet the show’s public enemy numbers one and two: Yulissa Escobar and Austin Shephard.
According to her introduction video, Escobar is a 27-year-old woman who works in hospitality and luxury real estate in Miami, Florida, and describes herself as a “bundle of joy.” However, viewers think alleged “Trumpie racist” would be a more accurate description of her.
Days before the show premiered, the internet did what it does best—intense sleuthing, uncovering a handful of older social media posts from the islander that raised an eyebrow.
First, people found a now-deleted TikTok of Escobar talking about losing around 600 followers because she is a Trump supporter. Then, they discovered two instances on podcasts where Escobar drops the n-word. All the posts have been uploaded to X by a viewer.
After the backlash started to pick up steam before the show’s premiere, Escobar’s friend apparently came to her defense, and unsurprisingly, it wasn’t a very good one.
“Lol… y’all act like you never said the N word before, stop being so f–king sensitive,” her friend commented.
Now, for Love Island’s enemy number two: Mr. Shepard.
In his introduction video, Shepard describes himself as a 26-year-old man from Michigan and a pool technician.
Like what happened to Yulissa, shortly after Peacock announced Shepard’s casting, the internet discovered his alleged TikTok account (@scottdisickstan12), where he apparently liked several Pro-Donald Trump posts and anti-Kamala Harris videos. A collage of these likes is currently on X.
they way they put a trumpie (austin aka scottdisickstan12 on tiktok) in a villa with 2 black girls, A PALESTINIAN, and other poc girls
IJBOL austin might actually be the first boot without us having to even vote #loveislandusa #loveisland pic.twitter.com/jbamxEzIAT
— ᥫ᭡ (@98xamdim) May 29, 2025
Shepard’s alleged TikTok account has now been deleted.
If viewers were already not fans of Escobar and Shepard before the season started, after seeing what went down in Episode 1, they really really don’t like them now.
In the first coupling, Escobar stole the man of the show’s current favorite, Chelley, a Black bi-sexual woman.
This led Chelley to pair up with Shepard, the alleged Trumpie.
Now, fans are desperate to vote Yulissa and Austin off, not only because they don’t like their politics, but their favorite islander is currently in a couple with a man she may not know is MAGA.
Will the promised elimination of Escobar and Shepard come to fruition? Or will MAGA continue to be a feature on the seventh season of Love Island USA?
Currently, it’s too soon to tell, but if the show’s fans have anything to say about it: Yes to elimination and no to MAGA.
“I want my man to nurture me,” she said.
On the premiere episode of the series, Escobar coupled up with Ace Green. As they were exploring their love connection, series narrator Iain Stirling informed viewers that Escobar would no longer be on the program in an announcement he made on the second episode.
“Welcome back to ‘Love Island USA,’” he said. “Yulissa has left the villa.” However, it is unclear when Escobar left Fiji, where the show is filmed, and if she was edited out of episodes.
Love Island USA’ Cast Member Breaks Silence After Sudden Exit From Show
Joyann Jeffrey
3 min read
“Love Island USA” contest Yulissa Escobar has broken her silence about her sudden exit from the show.
After being dropped from the reality dating series in Episode 2, Escobar took to Instagram to address speculation about her departure and apologize.
People connected Escobar’s departure to backlash she was receiving for using racist language on podcasts. The controversial clips resurfaced on social media after Escobar was announced as a Season 7 cast member.
In her Instagram post, Escobar said she wanted to “apologize for using a word I had no right in using.”
“Podcast clips from years ago have recently resurfaced, and I want to address it directly,” she wrote. “In those clips, I used a word I never should’ve used, a racial slur. I used it ignorantly, not fully understanding the weight, history, or pain behind it. I wasn’t trying to be offensive or harmful, but I recognize now that intention doesn’t excuse impact. And the impact of that word is real. It’s tied to generations of trauma, and it is not mine to use.”
Yulissa Escobar on “Love Island USA.” (Ben Symons / Peacock)
Escobar explained that she used the racial slur when she was “speaking casually in conversation” and she didn’t think “deeply or critically about what I was saying.”
“But that doesn’t take away from how wrong it was. The truth is, I didn’t know better then, but I do now,” she said. “I’ve taken the time to reflect, to learn, and to grow from that moment.”
Escobar went on to say that she’s “changed a lot” since she’s done those podcasts. She noted that she shows up for others differently and also speaks differently as well.
“Growth means recognizing when you were wrong, even if it’s uncomfortable, and choosing to move forward with humility and accountability,” she said.
The 27-year-old then ended her statement by saying she takes “full ownership of my actions” and she apologized again to anyone who was “disappointed or offended” by her words.
Online, she shared her statement alongside a personal quote from herself, which said, “Owning my mistakes speaking my truth.”
Escobar was introduced as a cast member for Season 7 of “Love Island USA” in May.
In a teaser video that Peacock shared on YouTube, Escobar said she was excited to be on the show after her previous “nine year relationship” ended in heartbreak.
