Trump White House Engages in ‘Star Wars' Cosplay to Demonize Immigrants
The Trump White House shared a graphic image of Trump, veiny biceps and other inhuman muscles bulging, holding a red light saber in celebration of May the Fourth — an informal Star Wars holiday and pun on 'May the Force be with you.' Meanwhile, the administration's chief Border Patrol agent posted a video depicting the agency as Darth Vader killing rebel soldiers. The administration, apparently, doesn't mind that these depictions seem to align them with the antagonists of the film franchise.
'Happy May the 4th to all, including the Radical Left Lunatics who are fighting so hard to to bring Sith Lords, Murderers, Drug Lords, Dangerous Prisoners, & well known MS-13 Gang Members, back into our Galaxy,' the White House posted on social media alongside the likely AI-generated image. 'You're not the Rebellion—you're the Empire. May the 4th be with you.'
Trump, who has promised to deport millions of immigrants, has deported thousands since taking office (139,000 according to the White House), including sending hundreds of men he claims are gang members to a notorious mega-prison in El Salvador without due process.
Keen Star Wars fans quickly pointed out that Trump's red light saber suggests he is a member of the Empire led by the Sith, bad guys in the films who practice the dark side of the Force. The Jedis are the heroes in the Rebellion who use the Force, an energy source that permeates and connects everything in the universe, for good — including to fight against the evil Empire.
'Embarrassing Stalinist level propaganda from Trump's White House,' Retired Army Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman posted on X (formerly Twitter). 'This would work better if the AI represented Trump as Jaba the Hut.'
A U.S. Border Patrol video, titled 'Border Wars' and posted Sunday by Chief Patrol Agent Gregory K. Bovino, took a clip from Star Wars spinoff Rogue One where Darth Vader massacres rebel forces. Border Patrol labeled Vader as 'Premier Sector,' referring to the agency's El Centro Sector, which covers much of the southern border with Mexico.
The clip opens with Star Wars-style titles: 'Episode one: Border Patrol strikes back. The Premier Sector, in pursuit of a ship occupied by threats to the United States, is intercepted on its way to the galaxy's most notorious sanctuary for lawlessness… Mos Eisley… AKA California…' (In the films, Mos Eisley is a spaceport on Tatooine where aliens of all kinds gather from around the galaxy.)
The video then cuts to Border Patrol Vader wielding a red light saber to kill rebel forces that the video labeled as fentanyl, sanctuary cities, cocaine, human smugglers, invasion, and fake news.
X users jumped on the post to inform Bovino that Border Patrol is identifying with the films' antagonists. One account responded to Bovino with a meme that asked 'Are we the baddies?'
Bovino replied, defending the artistic choices: 'I think ole Darth had the ultimate situational awareness against threats to the homeland. So do we which is why our border is the most controlled now than ever before.'
Another user asked, 'Just for clarification, who were the bad guys in Star Wars?'
'We've depicted who the bad guys were in this video,' Bovino replied. 'Watch again as they are labeled as such. 😆 🤣. 🇺🇸 🇺🇲.'
Not wanting to be left out, Elon Musk, the head of Trump's so-called Department of Government Efficiency, joined in with a depiction of himself holding a red light saber.
Even in their confused jokes and AI-generated memes, the administration cannot escape the uncomfortable truth: They are the baddies.
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