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The official White House account on X published an image generated by artificial intelligence this Monday, featuring President Donald Trump depicted as a Mandalorian warrior from the Star Wars universe, in celebration of the so-called Star Wars Day, which is celebrated every May 4th.
The image shows Trump with blonde hair and metallic armor reminiscent of the protagonist from The Mandalorian series, holding a United States flag in his left hand and carrying Grogu—popularly known as "Baby Yoda"—in a pouch across his chest. The Mandalorian helmet hangs from his hip, and a halo of light surrounds his head against a backdrop of a snowstorm, creating a distinctly heroic propaganda aesthetic.
The message accompanying the publication reads: "In a galaxy that demands strength, America is ready. This is the way. May the 4th be with you."
The phrase "This is the way" is the central mantra of The Mandalorian, encapsulating the code of honor, loyalty, and tradition of Mandalorian culture. Its use in an official message from the White House is deliberate: Trump presents himself as a principled warrior, protector of the vulnerable, and bearer of American values.
This is the second consecutive time that the administration uses Star Wars Day to publish an AI image of Trump in the saga's universe. Last year, the White House released an image of a muscular Trump with a red lightsaber, a color associated in the Star Wars canon with the Sith villains, which led to mockery due to the unintentional irony of calling the left "the Empire" while the president wielded the weapon of the antagonists.
The pattern of heroic images generated by AI is a constant feature of this administration.
In July, the White House posted on Instagram an official image of Trump as Superman featuring the slogans "Truth," "Justice," and "The American Way," which garnered over 110,000 likes.
The most controversial moment of all came in April, during Easter Week, when Trump posted on Truth Social an AI-generated image featuring Christian iconography showing him laying hands on a sick person, surrounded by military personnel, soldier-angels, and the American flag.
The image was deleted after just 12 hours due to a wave of criticism from conservative religious allies.
The Protestant commentator Megan Basham called it "blasphemous and outrageous," while the Catholic host Isabel Brown described it as "disgusting and unacceptable." Trump tried to defend himself by stating that the character was a "Red Cross doctor," not Christ.
Days later, he shared an image of himself being embraced by Jesus Christ, which also generated backlash.
In May 2025, Cardinal Timothy Dolan publicly criticized an image of Trump dressed as the Pope, calling it "frivolous and disrespectful," after the president shared it on Truth Social with the message, "I think I would be a great Pope. No one would do it better than me."
The Star Wars Day originated on May 4, 1979, when the British Conservative Party published an ad congratulating Margaret Thatcher with the phrase "May the Fourth Be With You, Maggie. Congratulations", as a play on words with the famous "May the Force be with you" from the saga.
The post from this Monday garnered over 603,000 views and 17,175 likes within a few hours, solidifying a communication strategy that, image after image, continues to blur the boundaries between popular culture, religious symbolism, and political propaganda.
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