Trump Portrayed as Sith Lord in White House May 4th Post
The White House ignited a social media firestorm after sharing an AI-generated image of President Donald Trump wielding a red lightsaber in celebration of Star Wars Day. The portrayal, which showed Trump with exaggerated muscles in Jedi-style robes, inadvertently cast the president as a Sith Lord—the villainous faction in the Star Wars universe known exclusively for using red-colored weapons.
The controversial post appeared on the official White House X account Saturday with a politically charged message targeting opponents as “Radical Left Lunatics” fighting to bring “Sith Lords” and criminals into the country. However, Star Wars fans quickly pointed out the irony that the president was himself depicted with the signature weapon of the franchise’s antagonists, creating confusion about whether the administration understood the reference.
Messaging Contradicts Star Wars Lore
The Star Wars franchise has established clear visual coding throughout its films, with heroic Jedi characters wielding blue or green lightsabers while villainous Sith exclusively use red ones. The White House post, which attacked political opponents as “Sith Lords” while depicting Trump with a Sith weapon, created immediate confusion about the intended messaging.
“Though it could be inferred from that caption that the White House intended to present Trump as Jedi, the image notably shows him holding a red lightsaber — a hallmark of the Sith, stewards of the Dark Side,” explained The Wrap in their coverage of the controversy. This contradiction suggested either a misunderstanding of Star Wars canon or an oversight in the image creation process.
Some social media users speculated that the AI generator might have defaulted to a red lightsaber, while others suggested the image creator simply chose red to match the president’s typical color scheme without understanding the significance within Star Wars lore. Regardless of the reason, the error became the focal point of discussions about the post.
AI-Generated Imagery Raises Questions
The muscle-bound depiction of the 78-year-old president in Jedi robes represents the latest in a series of AI-generated images shared by official White House accounts. Just days earlier, the administration had drawn criticism for posting an AI image depicting Trump as pope shortly after Pope Francis’s death.
The increasing use of artificial intelligence to create idealized or fantastical depictions of the president has raised questions about appropriate government communications. Axios characterized the trend as “a jarring departure from traditional White House communications and the sharing of AI-generated images.”
Media critics have noted that these posts represent a significant shift from traditional government messaging toward a more provocative, meme-driven approach typical of campaign communications rather than official presidential channels. The Star Wars post in particular highlighted how AI-generated imagery can create unintended messaging problems when cultural references are misunderstood.
Border Patrol Also Embraces Empire Imagery
In a related development, U.S. Border Patrol Chief Gregory K. Bovino shared a separate Star Wars-themed video depicting the agency as Darth Vader fighting against various “threats” labeled as sanctuary cities, human smugglers, and “fake news.” The video explicitly cast Border Patrol in the role of the Empire—the authoritarian regime opposed by the heroic Rebellion in the Star Wars narrative.
When questioned about aligning with the franchise’s villains, Bovino defended the choice by praising Darth Vader’s “situational awareness against threats to the homeland,” according to Rolling Stone. The Border Patrol chief’s comments suggested a deliberate embrace of the Empire’s imagery despite its negative portrayal in the movies.
One social media user responded to Bovino’s video by sharing a meme asking “Are we the baddies?”—a reference to a comedy sketch about soldiers realizing they might be on the wrong side of a conflict. This exchange highlighted the unusual choice of identifying government agencies with the Star Wars franchise’s antagonists.
Political Messaging Overshadows Holiday
Star Wars Day, celebrated annually on May 4th as a play on the phrase “May the Force be with you,” has traditionally been marked by good-natured fan activities and corporate promotions. The White House post, however, turned the lighthearted holiday into a platform for political messaging against immigration policies and Democratic opponents.
“Happy May the 4th to all, including the Radical Left Lunatics who are fighting so hard to bring Sith Lords, Murderers, Drug Lords, Dangerous Prisoners, & well known MS-13 Gang Members, back into our Galaxy,” read the White House post. “You’re not the Rebellion—you’re the Empire. May the 4th be with you.”
The reference to MS-13 and “Dangerous Prisoners” appeared to relate to ongoing political debates about immigration policy, specifically regarding the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, whom the administration has refused to return to the United States despite a Supreme Court order, as noted by Mediaite.
Competing Government Star Wars Messages
Adding to the confusion, different government agencies presented contradictory Star Wars imagery. While the White House account showed Trump with a villain’s red lightsaber, the Department of Defense’s Rapid Response account depicted the president with a hero’s green lightsaber, with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth carrying a blue one.
This inconsistency highlighted an apparent lack of coordination in the administration’s Star Wars Day messaging across agencies. Other federal departments, including the U.S. Space Force and various military branches, also shared May the 4th content, though most avoided the political undertones present in the White House post.
The different approaches to Star Wars Day across government accounts created what Variety described as “a seemingly silly debate” that “underscores a broader conversation” about changes in official government communications under the current administration.
