Perhaps one of the most horrifying developments of the second Administration of President Donald Trump has come from the White House social media accounts.
Trump is not immune to alarming online behavior. In a May 2020 publication by The Washington Post, it was reported that since taking office, Trump had spent nine days, 17 hours and 36 minutes tweeting. A 2019 New York Times publication recognized that more than half of Trump’s tweets were an attack on someone or something else. In total, Trump’s first presidential term brought about over 25,000 tweets.
Now in the second presidential term, Trump’s posts on X have faded into norm, despite the blissful nearly two years that he was banned from the platform prior to Elon Musk’s $44 billion purchase of Twitter in October 2022.
Now, the alarm bells ring from the White House accounts themself. On Feb. 19, the White House posted an AI-generated image of Trump to their Instagram page. The post displays a close-up of his face in front of a city skyline. On Trump’s head sits a gold crown, with one word written in capital letters above Trump’s head: KING.
I’m not sure how well versed the MAGA party is on American history — that is, outside of first-hand Confederacy accounts. Newsflash: America was founded on the very opposition of having a king. In fact, we went through an entire revolution to prevent the development of a monarchy. America was founded on a division of powers, checks and balances, and my personal favorite — Rule of Law.
On Feb. 15, Trump posted one sentence on X: “He who saves his Country does not violate any law.” This was likely an ode to the 34 federal convictions Trump received last May, but these words don’t fly in my book. Moreover, they don’t fly in any book.
Our Constitution was written with the sole purpose of keeping the government in check, a balance that should be coveted by the White House, instead of mocked by an artificial photo now at the center of MAGA shrines.
Continuing on this shock factor, on Feb. 14, the White House tapped into pop culture Valentine’s references, posting a holiday themed edit of Trump and his designated “Border Czar” Tom Homan’s faces stickered onto a pink background with scattered dark pink hearts. Above their faces is written a quasi-pickup line: “ROSES ARE RED VIOLETS ARE BLUE COME HERE ILLEGALLY AND WE’LL DEPORT YOU.”
Regardless of this intention: mobilizing Gen-Z supporters, poking fun at very real political developments or shoving a political agenda in our faces, this type of content should not be seen on White House accounts.
These posts are absolutely sickening. A page intended to represent our highest elected office in government, now seen surrendering to Trump-style taunting, not posting political developments or highlighting Trump’s achievements, rather making light of social othering bolstered by political decisions rooted in nothing other than racism.
These posts tap into much larger moral implications. Social media is a large factor in political campaigns. In a modern world, social media directly relates to public image, and can help legislators build a rapport with voters and secure political influence. However, there is a clear line on what is simple marketing and what is mobilization.
A pop culture reference relates to movies and songs, and makes light of life with connections to well-known references. What is not is connecting a controversial federal action that targets people’s very existence to Gen-Z culture.
The White House, and the government at large, is for the people, by the people. Keep these dehumanizing and unprofessional posts on Trump’s personal socials, not our federal pages.
sglisson@ramapo.edu
Featured photo by Joshua Roberts Reuters
