The White House Posted A Shockingly Cruel ASMR Video. ASMR Creators Are Pissed.
They may be known to speak in whispers, but ASMR content creators are raising their voices in anger over the Trump administration's latest social media stunt.
On Tuesday, the official White House Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) accounts posted a video captioned, 'ASMR: Illegal Alien Deportation Flight.' The 41-second compilation features close-ups of chains and cuffs being laid out on a tarmac and people walking with their hands and ankles bound onto a plane.
The video is a sendup of popular ASMR content: ASMR stands for autonomous sensory meridian response, a tingling sensation that occurs when some people hear soft noises, such as whispering, or crisp sounds, such as tapping and crinkling. These hushed, oftentimes sleep-inducing videos are wildly popular on YouTube and TikTok, where fans praise them as balms for their mental health.
ASMR: Illegal Alien Deportation Flight 🔊 pic.twitter.com/O6L1iYt9b4
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) February 18, 2025
The fact that the Trump administration would use ASMR ― one of the softest, cuddliest subsections of the internet you can find ― to promote its 'mass deportation' agenda didn't sit well with many.
Some called the post 'dehumanizing' and 'grotesque,' though unsurprisingly, the video had a fan in Elon Musk. 'So based,' the Tesla founder and Trump ally wrote alongside a mechanical arm emoji.
The video has plenty of 'likes' ― 93,000 on X and 65,647 on Instagram, as of Thursday night — but by and large, the comments are negative.
'This is one of the most disgusting things I have ever seen posted by this administration,' one comment on Instagram read. 'Regardless of your thoughts on immigration, a video of this real human going through a traumatic moment, posted as an ASMR VIDEO is VILE.'
It's the kind of ragebait that you might find on 4chan, not on the White House' official social media pages — though with this administration, dropping the kind of trollish content you'd expect from a 14-year-old edgelord seems to be the order of the day.
Last Friday, the White House social accounts posted a mock Valentine's Day card with the floating heads of President Donald Trump and Tom Homan, who as border czar is helping lead the administration's deportation efforts.
'Roses are red / Violets are blue / Come here illegally / And we'll deport you,' it read.
Since taking office in January, Trump has given the go-ahead to immigration authorities to fast-track deportations, raising critics' fears that he is bypassing the due process protections guaranteed by the Constitution.
Dozens of migrants have been moved to Guantanamo Bay, the military detention camp that Trump ordered to be expanded to house 30,000 of 'the worst criminal aliens.' But as HuffPost's Matt Shuham reported late last month, data from around the country suggests that many of those arrested or deported by federal agents under Trump don't have any serious criminal history at all, let alone any record that would raise fears about public safety.
ASMR video creators we spoke to say they're disappointed that their community is being co-opted in the name of such a campaign.
'Adopting an online phenomenon to attempt to normalize and trivialize state violence is abhorrent,' said Madi, who runs the channel MadiDuv ASMR on YouTube.
Amy Kay, who goes by Amy Kay ASMR on YouTube, sees this as just another example of the MAGA movement trying to 'own the libs.'
'Many go to ASMR for the human connection it provides in a disconnected world. It's a caring and accepting corner of the internet, so seeing it perverted to 'own' anyone who happens to have empathy hurts my heart,' Kay told HuffPost.
When Matty Almendinger ― a content creator who goes by MattyTingles on YouTube ― first saw the video, he said he thought, 'There's no way this is real and there's no way this is the actual White House account.'
There's a long history of people using the 'ASMR' title for clickbait when it has nothing to do with ASMR whatsoever, Almendinger said, but it was off-putting to see the same troll-like strategy from the White House. It felt like a slight to the ASMR community, which prides itself on being open and welcoming, he said. (Though admittedly, it could be more diverse, as we've reported on before.)
'I've been a part of many online communities and the ASMR community is by far the most wholesome, kind community on the internet,' Almendinger said. 'At the end of the day, we all just want to help others. That's what it amounts to. We spend all of our time creating content to help others relax and sleep.'
'So the fact that the Trump admin's social team had the nerve to take what we've built over the last 15+ years ― I've been doing it for a decade this year ― run with it and create something so obscene is very disappointing,' he added.
A content creator who goes by Julieta ASMR said she saw the video, but isn't paying it too much mind. As a Latina ASMR creator, she's trying to stay focused on the bigger picture and what she can do to make her viewers' lives better.
'Deportations and ICE terrorizing the Latino community is a devastating real problem that affects me and many others personally,' she said. 'I will continue to support marginalized communities and offer a safe space for people who want to fall asleep to my ASMR knowing that I'm not a [Trump] supporter.'
We Asked Doctors How They REALLY Feel About The Trump Admin's 'Make America Healthy Again' Plan
Here's What 27 Trump Supporters Said He Would Have To Do To Lose Their Support
Trump Isn't Actually Focusing On Deporting Criminals
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

Hypebeast
3 minutes ago
- Hypebeast
Hiroshi Fujiwara Debuts Unreleased Air Jordan 1 High '85 "UNC"
Name:Air Jordan 1 High '85 'UNC'Colorway:White/University BlueSKU:N/ARetail Price:N/ARelease Date:N/AWhere to Buy:Nike Hiroshi Fujiwaracontinues to cement himself as the undisputed sneaker king. Just a couple of days ago, the designer was spotted on Instagram account@naoki__muramatsuwearing the unreleasedAir Jordan 1 High '85'UNC' iteration. A nod to Michael Jordan's collegiate roots, featuring the classic powder blue and white color scheme. This '85 cut is celebrated for its meticulous attention to detail, faithfully replicating the original construction and materials from the 1985 era, aiming to deliver the most authentic retro experience possible. It showcases the signature powder blue on the leather mudguard, eyestays, collar, heel, and Swoosh, contrasted by crisp white on the toe box, tongue, and midfoot panel. This exclusive first look, spotted on Fujiwara has immediately ignited speculation and excitement among collectors. his highly anticipated retro joins a series of other iconic '85 colorways that have either recently released (like the 'Bred') or been teased (like the 'Chicago' and 'Royal'), all part of Jordan Brand's careful rollout to celebrate the Air Jordan 1's 40th anniversary. Nike has yet to announce an official release date for the Air Jordan 1 High '85 'UNC.'
Yahoo
15 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Rodrygo drops Real Madrid future hint with social media post
Real Madrid star Rodrygo has on Tuesday moved to reiterate his 'happiness' at the club, in the process playing down his ongoing exit links. Frontman Rodrygo has of course taken his place centre stage in the headlines across Europe for several weeks now. Advertisement This comes after a series of reports were forthcoming in the media, suggesting that the 24-year-old was seeking a new challenge this summer. A whole host of clubs, in turn, have been tipped as potential landing spots for Rodrygo, chief among them Premier League giants Arsenal and Chelsea. As alluded to above, though, if the latest social media activity on the part of the player himself is anything to go by, he appears to remain more than content with life in Spain's capital. After reconvening with his Real Madrid teammates under the watch of new manager Xabi Alonso at Valdebebas this week, Rodrygo took to his official Instagram account, to unveil a photo of himself accompanied by the simple caption: Advertisement 'HAPPY' Conor Laird – GSFN
Yahoo
37 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Major TV Networks Set to Snub Trump's Military Parade for Sports
Donald Trump's June 14 Washington military parade may be relegated to news coverage on the streaming arms of the major TV networks. The parade marks the founding of the U.S. Army during the American Revolutionary War 250 years ago. Trump has promised an 'amazing day' with ' sorts of things' taking over the streets of Washington. The parade, with an estimated cost of up to $45 million according to military officials, also coincides with Trump's 79th birthday. Despite the hard sell from the President, TV networks are scrambling to figure out how much of the event they will cover on traditional live TV and how much will go straight to their streaming arms. Sources close to ABC News, NBC News and CBS News told Variety the networks would be unlikely to change their traditional sports-based Saturday night programming to cover the parade. ABC News will 'cover the parade across programs and platforms' including their 24/7 streaming news channel. The network has the UFL championship game airing in primetime on Saturday night. NBC's streaming arm, NBC News Now, will feature special coverage of the event, with NBC airing the U.S Open Golf when the parade is happening. CBS News are also promoting the event on their streaming network, while their main channel airs local news and a repeat screening of the police-based comedy drama Elsbeth. For those looking for more extensive coverage, Fox News Channel will dedicate four hours to the parade on Saturday as part of the 'Army 250 Parade'. Fox's main channel will air the Major League Baseball on Saturday night. NewsNation are also promising dedicated coverage, including performances from the Army drill team and first vision of the military vehicles being flown in for the parade. Army officials have estimated a potential 200,000 people will attend the evening parade. On Tuesday, Trump threatened anyone planning to protest at the military parade in Washington 'that hate our be met with heavy force.'