Trump administration has once again proven it understands pop culture about as well as Jar Jar Binks understands subtlety.
The White House X account, apparently forgetting which side of the Force they’re supposed to be on, celebrated Star Wars Day by transforming our Commander-in-Chief into complete with the villainous red lightsaber that literally every fan knows belongs to the bad guys. Talk about a disturbance in the Force.
Sunday’s bizarre post featured an AI-generated image of a suspiciously buff Trump raped in dark robes while wielding a crimson lightsaber. The caption? A bizarre mix of Star Wars puns and political mudslinging, accusing the “Radical Left Lunatics” of being the Empire (the Star Wars villains) while positioning Trump and his followers as the Rebel Alliance. Oh, and just to spice things up, the post throws in accusations that the “Empire” is trying to bring back “Sith Lords, Murderers, Drug Lords, Dangerous Prisoners, & well-known MS-13 Gang Members.”
This isn’t the first time the Trump camp has leaned into meme culture to score points with its base. From doctored videos of Trump wrestling CNN to his infamous “Game of Thrones” knockoff declaring “Sanctions Are Coming,” the former president has shown he’s willing to co-opt pop culture for his own ends — accuracy and dignity be damned.
For better or worse, Trump’s team understands the meme culture that dominates online discourse. The image went viral, sparking debates, mockery, and outrage. And if there’s one thing Trump thrives on, it’s attention. Whether people love him or hate him, they’re still talking about him—and that’s the point.
The timing of this meme is also worth noting. Just a day earlier, the White House X account posted another inflammatory meme targeting Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a man deported to El Salvador who’s been accused of being an MS-13 gang member. The post mocked Garcia and framed him as an example of why Trump’s hardline immigration policies are necessary. For an administration that constantly claims to be fighting against the “Deep State,” they seem remarkably comfortable adopting the aesthetic of the galaxy’s most notorious deep state. The Empire, after all, literally dissolved its senate and ruled through fear of its superweapon. May someone at the White House actually watch the movies before next year’s Star Wars Day.
Published: May 4, 2025 03:21 pm