Trump 'trolling' democrats to ease public mood, House Speaker says
4 Min Read
Amid the government shutdown, President Trump has escalated online attacks portraying Democrats as "radical leftists," using memes and AI-generated videos to shift blame and justify agency cuts.
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Image shows an AI-generated picture of Hakeem Jeffries wearing a sombrero and mustache, set to mariachi music (Screengrab/Truth social)
US President Donald Trump has intensified his online attacks on Democratic lawmakers amid the ongoing government shutdown, sharing a flurry of mocking memes and AI-generated videos that critics describe as racially charged and politically inflammatory. House Speaker Mike Johnson defended the president's behavior on Friday, framing it as an effort to lighten tensions during a deepening budget crisis.
"Is he trolling the Democrats? Yes. I mean, yes, because that is what President Trump does, and people are having fun with this. But at the end of the day, the decisions are tough ones ... The President takes no pleasure in this. But if [US Senate Minority Leader] Chuck Schumer is going to give Donald Trump the opportunity to determine what the [funding] priorities are, he is going to exercise that opportunity," Johnson told reporters.
Digital Mockery
Trump's social media campaign, which has flooded X and Truth Social in recent days, included AI-edited clips of House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries wearing a sombrero and mustache, set to mariachi music, a move that drew accusations of racism and mockery of Jeffries' Mexican-American heritage. Another video showed Trump tossing a "Trump 2028" hat toward Jeffries in the Oval Office. Additional deepfake-style posts depicted Budget Director Russell Vought as the Grim Reaper, symbolizing cuts to federal agencies, and featured altered audio of Democratic leaders ridiculing their own party.
After Hakeem Jeffries lost it on MSNBC over Trump’s meme putting him in a sombrero, 47 went right back at him, this time with Trump popping up as part of a mariachi band.
— Barstool Patriot (@BarstoolPatriot) October 1, 2025
Trump is the undisputed king of trolling. pic.twitter.com/z4PUssRtwo
Johnson defended the content, saying it was designed to satirize gridlock rather than demean individuals. "What they are trying to have fun with, trying to make light of, is pointing out the absurdity of the Democrats' position. And they are using memes and all the tools of social media to do that. Some people find that entertaining," he said.
Shutdown Offensive
The controversy comes as the shutdown enters its first week, triggered by Congress's failure to reach a funding deal before the September 30 fiscal deadline. Hundreds of thousands of federal workers have been furloughed, while key government services have been suspended. With the Republican-led House and Democratic-controlled Senate deadlocked, the administration has escalated its rhetoric, accusing Democrats of orchestrating the impasse.
In a meeting Thursday, Johnson said Trump has the authority to initiate layoffs during the shutdown, describing it as a necessary measure to curb waste. The president later announced plans to consult with OMB Director Vought on identifying which federal departments, referred to by Trump as "Democrat agencies", might face funding cuts or permanent closure.
Trump has repeatedly cast the shutdown as an opportunity to "streamline" the federal government, promising to shrink the bureaucracy and eliminate programs he deems politically hostile. His administration has already suspended billions in funding for climate, media, and urban development projects, many in Democratic-run states, a move watchdog groups warn may violate the Antideficiency Act.
Meme Warfare
Beyond budgetary maneuvering, the shutdown has become a platform for partisan messaging. Federal websites, including those of the Treasury, Education, and Health Departments, have displayed banners blaming "Radical Left Democrats" for the crisis. Reports from agency employees indicate that out-of-office messages were altered to include anti-Democrat language without staff consent. Ethics experts and advocacy groups have condemned the practice as a potential violation of the Hatch Act, which bars federal employees from engaging in political propaganda.
Critics say branding the Democrats as "radical leftists" is ideologically misleading, given the party's centrist and pro-market orientation, and serves as a rhetorical weapon to polarize public opinion. Trump's allies, however, argue that his "meme warfare" has kept him in control of the narrative, shifting attention from the human cost of the shutdown to a theatrical battle over ideology and blame.
Read more: Congresswoman Dean raises concerns over Trump's mental fitness
