On May 4, 2025, the White House celebrated Star Wars Day by posting an AI-generated image of former President Donald Trump wielding a red lightsaber. The image, shared on Instagram, X, and Facebook, depicted Trump surrounded by bald eagles and accompanied by a message that referred to Democrats as “Radical Left Lunatics” and compared them to the Galactic Empire from the Star Wars franchise.
The Controversy Around the Red Lightsaber
Star Wars fans quickly pointed out that Trump’s red lightsaber was inconsistent with the image of a hero. In the Star Wars universe, red lightsabers are typically associated with Sith Lords and dark side characters like Darth Vader and Kylo Ren. This contradicted the White House’s message, which appeared to cast Trump as a heroic figure fighting against the “Sith Lords” and “the Empire.”
George Lucas on Lightsaber Colors
The controversy centered around a statement made by George Lucas, the creator of Star Wars, who once explained that “good guys are green and blue, bad guys are red.” This principle has been a general guideline in the Star Wars franchise, making the choice of a red lightsaber for Trump in the AI image seem counterintuitive to the narrative the White House was trying to convey.
Reaction from Fans and Counter Image
Many fans took to the comments to express their confusion, with one commenter noting, “‘Radical left is trying hard to bring the Sith Lords…’ while holding the Sith Lords lightsaber is crazy work.” The Department of Defense’s Rapid Response account also joined in on the Star Wars theme by sharing an image of Trump holding a green lightsaber, alongside Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Context and Previous AI Usage
This was not the first time the White House or Trump had used AI-generated images for political or humorous purposes. Just two days prior, Trump had shared an AI-generated image of himself as the Pope on his Truth Social account. The White House’s use of AI imagery on Star Wars Day was seen as a continuation of this trend, blending politics with popular culture.
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The use of AI-generated imagery for political messaging has raised eyebrows, with many observers questioning the implications and the message such images are intended to convey.
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