Social media can be a powerful political tool. Created during Barack Obama’s presidency, the official White House Instagram Page traditionally posts digestible updates about the current state of presidential affairs. Since Donald Trump took office, the account has consistently shared propaganda and content that seems like it would be satire on a comedy show. Blurring the lines between political messaging and internet culture, the absurd current content feels starkly dystopian.
On Valentine’s Day, the account posted a hot pink graphic saying, “Roses are red, violets are blue, come here illegally, we’ll deport you.” The poorly-edited visual looks like a meme and is a ridiculous, dehumanizing oversimplification. Similarly, the White House posted an Instagram reel titled “ASMR Deportation.” The video features exaggerated sound effects of a gavel slamming, papers shuffling and a voice whispering, “You’re going home,” as if the cruel reality of deportation were something to be fetishized and sensationalized for social media engagement. The administration is not merely using social media for transparency or outreach; it is weaponizing it to manufacture a reality where callous policies are repackaged as punchlines.
When Instagram first emerged as a tool for White House communication, Obama frequently posted accurate updates and positive imagery. On Nov. 14, 2016, the former president posted a hopeful message of inclusivity: “America, at its best, is inclusive and not exclusive… We insist of the dignity and God given potential and worth of every child, regardless of race, or gender, or in sexual orientation, or what zip code they are born in.” Sharply contrasting the overwhelmingly negative messages shared by President Trump, Obama’s content shows how government-run social media content can be positive.
Before Instagram there was television, and before Donald Trump there was Ronald Reagan. Unlike Trump’s administration, which uses social media spectacle and meme culture to push its messaging, past presidents relied on more traditional—and often more sophisticated—forms of propaganda. Reagan’s famous “Morning in America” ad painted a picture of national renewal and prosperity, using soft visuals and sentimental narration to mislead Americans into favoring his economic policies. The shift from Reagan’s polished, theatrical propaganda to Trump’s crass, meme-fueled absurdity reflects the changing nature of media itself. As technology develops and changes, communication methods do as well. Reagan’s America needed to be persuaded. Trump’s America just wants to be entertained.