"President Donald Trump's obsession with social media is so notorious that it has its own Wikipedia page. But since his return to the White House, that fixation has seeped into the highest levels of government, with cabinet officials adopting his combative style and reshaping how public servants behave online."
"Consider Vice President JD Vance, who shrugged off war crime accusations after Trump authorized an extrajudicial strike on a Venezuelan fishing boat by posting on X that, "I don't give a shit what you call it." Or the official DHS X account, which now floods timelines with seemingly AI-generated 4chan memes and WWII-style recruitment posters for ICE - including one featuring the Statue of Liberty with glowing laser eyes."
"FCC Chair Brendan Carr recently blasted Democrats on X for "weaponizing government to silence dissent" after a California senator suggested breaking up Sinclair Broadcasting - days after Carr appeared on a podcast threatening Disney, ABC, and local affiliates with regulatory action over Jimmy Kimmel's comment about Charlie Kirk."
Cabinet officials increasingly use X to deliver combative, provocative messaging rather than factual updates. Tweets from high-level figures include personal insults, cultural-war rhetoric, and meme-like imagery from official accounts. Examples include dismissive responses to war crime allegations, recruitment-style graphics for immigration enforcement, and regulatory threats framed as retaliation against media outlets. The tone normalizes antagonistic behavior and blurs the line between official communication and partisan theater. The approach appears aimed at energizing a base, intimidating critics, and signaling loyalty to a partisan leader rather than informing the public or advancing transparent governance.
Read at Mashable
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