The White House celebrated Star Wars Day this year with a post that instantly grabbed headlines—a heavily stylized, AI-generated image of President Donald Trump wielding a lightsaber and dressed like a villain straight out of the galaxy far, far away. The image showed Trump as a muscular, sleeveless Sith Lord flanked by bald eagles, holding a red saber that unmistakably channeled some serious dark side energy.
For those unfamiliar, the Sith in Star Wars are the franchise’s primary antagonists—figures of authoritarian rule who dismantle the Republic and slaughter Jedi to build an oppressive empire. George Lucas even admitted they were modeled on Nazi Germany. So when critics noticed Trump’s likeness in Sith gear, comparisons came quickly—and not favorably. Supporters, however, pushed back, claiming the saber was orange and noting that some Jedi in lesser-known canon have used similarly colored weapons.
The AI art wasn’t posted quietly. The caption that accompanied it from the White House’s official channel read: “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. You’re not the Rebellion—you’re the Empire.” A not-so-subtle attempt to flip the narrative and align Trump with the heroes of the saga, despite the visual cues suggesting otherwise.
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. You’re not the Rebellion—you’re the Empire.
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) May 4, 2025
May the 4th be with you. pic.twitter.com/G883DhDRR5
Online reaction was immediate. Critics saw the image and caption as tone-deaf, especially given the political symbolism of red lightsabers and the real-world history behind Star Wars’ fascist inspirations. Meanwhile, others praised the post for its pop culture savvy and humorous edge. Some fans even waited for a response from Mark Hamill, the actor behind Luke Skywalker and a vocal Trump critic, though he’s yet to weigh in.
Whether it was intentional trolling or just a flashy meme for May the 4th, the post sparked debate over just how far the White House will go in merging politics with pop culture. For now, one thing’s clear—Trump has embraced the Force, but which side he’s on is entirely in the eye of the beholder.
