Kathrine Frich
It didn’t take long for social media users to point out one small contradiction.
The White House has sparked widespread online reaction after sharing an AI-generated image of President Donald Trump depicted as a muscular, lightsaber-wielding character from the Star Wars universe.
The image was released on May 4, an unofficial holiday known to fans as Star Wars Day, celebrated with the pun, “May the 4th be with you.”
May the Force Be With You
In the image, President Trump appears in dark robes, holding a glowing red lightsaber, a weapon typically associated with villains such as Darth Vader and Darth Maul.
The composition also features two bald eagles and American flags in the background, amplifying the patriotic tone.
The post was captioned:
“Happy May the 4th to all, including the radical left lunatics who are fighting so hard to bring Sith lords (Star Wars villains), murderers, drug lords, dangerous prisoners and well-known MS-13 gang members back into our galaxy. You’re not the Rebellion — you’re the Empire. May the 4th be with you.”
Who is gonna tell him?
However, it didn’t take long for social media users to point out a contradiction.
While the caption positioned Trump and his allies as heroes resisting the “Empire,” the red lightsaber , traditionally used by Sith Lords, the villains of the Star Wars saga, implied otherwise.
One user commented:
“How do you not have one nerd on staff to tell you what colour lightsaber is good and what colour is bad?”
Another added:
“Umm, red is the colour of the Sith.”
The post quickly went viral, amassing over 1.2 million views, more than 25,000 likes, and 7,600 retweets within hours of publication.
Not First AI Picture
This isn’t the first time Trump’s team has used AI-generated or meme-style content to portray the president in symbolic or exaggerated forms.
Similar images have shown him dressed as historical and religious figures, including a controversial portrayal as the Pope, posted shortly after the death of Pope Francis.
The use of Star Wars imagery also reopens cultural flashpoints between Trump and figures associated with the franchise.
Actor Mark Hamill, who famously played Luke Skywalker, has publicly criticized Trump.
During the 2024 Democratic National Convention, Hamill told voters, “Don’t go to the orange side,” referencing Trump’s signature tan.
“In the movies, I fought against make-believe evil. But we’re at a time in history where we’re fighting against real evil,” he added.
Despite such criticism, Trump won the 2024 presidential election against Democratic candidate Kamala Harris and returned to the White House.
His administration has since embraced bold and often provocative digital messaging, the Star Wars post being the latest in a growing series of attention-grabbing visuals.
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