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Last week served as a stark reminder that, regardless of the horror unfolding or the number of lives at stake, the Trump administration’s instinct is to meme through it all. The White House response on X to the abduction of a national leader? “FAFO.” The reaction to an ICE agent shooting a woman in broad daylight? A listicle titled “57 Times Sick, Unhinged Democrats Declared War on Law Enforcement.” When ICE agents arrested protesters? “Welcome to the Find Out stage.”
To many observing current events, the Trump administration’s meme approach is unfeeling and harsh. Yet, seasoned political insiders may interpret this meme bombardment as part of a media strategy called “rapid response.” This involves quickly shaping the narrative surrounding breaking news before the media or opponents can do it for you.
“Every political office, every campaign, has a dedicated operation that helps them respond strategically to events in the news that are out of their control,” explained Lis Smith, a prominent Democratic communications strategist based in New York City. This practice has evolved significantly with the rise of the 24-hour news cycle, where cable shows could swiftly gather pundits for discussions. The workload has only intensified in the social media era. “You can’t control all the narratives, so you need to manage the chaos that comes your way.”
Smith, who was the rapid response director for Barack Obama’s 2012 campaign, noted that her strategy relied on social media’s messaging capabilities. X, previously known as Twitter, is still the most effective platform for getting “text-based rapid response communications like written statements” out to various “elites and opinion-shapers.” While a Bluesky messaging strategy might reach a left-leaning audience, it won’t penetrate outside that bubble, just as a Rumble campaign won’t reach beyond right-wing circles.
Memes may provide a quick way to convey political messages to an audience that understands the joke, yet the humor often escapes those outside that group—especially individuals who might support halting illegal immigration but are appalled by the Trump administration’s approach. “The administration’s use of memes really flattens the political debate,” Smith pointed out. “It strips away the humanity, seriousness, and nuance needed, replacing it with cruelty.”
Before diving into my conversation with Smith, check out The Verge’s latest on the political tech landscape:
– “Snatching Maduro was all about the spectacle,” by Elizabeth Lopatto and Sarah Jeong: Real lives lost because Donald Trump sought to create a spectacle.
– “America’s new era of energy imperialism is about more than oil,” by Justine Calma: Trump aims for Venezuela’s oil, Greenland’s minerals, and above all, control.
– “The MAGA-approved video of an ICE killing,” by Mia Sato: After a federal agent shot a woman in Minneapolis, the Trump administration seized on the incident’s narrative.
– “Tim Cook and Sundar Pichai are cowards,” by Elizabeth Lopatto: X’s deepfake porn feature evidently violates app store guidelines. Why don’t Apple and Google act?
– “Trump’s fundraisers asked Microsoft for its White House ballroom donation,” by Emma Roth: Amazon admitted to engaging with fundraisers prior to the White House’s donor list release in October.
– “New York wants to regulate Roblox,” by Lauren Feiner: Governor Kathy Hochul’s new online safety requirements for kids take center stage in state policy.
– “Former NYC Mayor Eric Adams accused of $2.5 million crypto ‘rug pull’ as his NYC Token crashes,” by Emma Roth: The NYC token’s value peaked at about $580 million before plunging to $130 million.
– “I can’t find the Trump phone at America’s largest tech show,” by Dominic Preston: I’ve searched high and low, but Trump Mobile is missing from CES this year.
“A meme that is funny or cruel will likely spread faster than anything nuanced.”
This interview has been edited for clarity.
You came up during a time when Twitter, now X, was the main venue for political media. How has rapid response evolved with so many narratives to manage across various media?
It’s definitely gotten tougher. In the ’90s, the 24-hour news cycle marked a significant change. The late 2000s and early 2010s saw the rise of social media, particularly Twitter, enabling real-time responses. Now, with how fractured social media has become, reaching your audience is more challenging. People aren’t all on X like they were a decade ago. Plus, messages have a harder time piercing through on X now due to changes in verification and more.
You need an “all of the above” communication strategy—sending press releases to traditional media while also engaging in real-time on social media. This means not just targeting X but also Threads, Bluesky, TikTok, Instagram, and more, to adapt to people’s diverse media consumption habits.
Do candidates target specific platforms for political purposes or alignments?
X remains vital in American politics for rapid response, especially for text-heavy communications, because it’s where most political insiders, pundits, and reporters are active. You see fragmentation more in short video content, with some campaigns selecting TikTok or Instagram based on partisan leanings. But Bluesky won’t reach elites like X does, nor will Truth Social or Discord effectively engage opinion-makers on the right.
Regarding messaging, Kamala Harris and Biden attempted to harness memes during their 2024 campaigns, yet without the same impact as Trump, whose staff seems to master this format. How do operatives view memes in political messaging?
The meme format spreads quickly and resonates with specific audiences, simplifying complex political arguments. However, it risks alienating others. Not everyone understands a Family Guy meme or any current meme popular in the moment.
Another downside is that memes strip away context and human experiences. So, when the administration shares humorous memes about deportations, it removes empathy for those involved in immigration debates. Most people acknowledge illegal immigration is a problem but also recognize the real human impact of these situations. They might find it unacceptable to joke about family separations or parents being taken away from their children.
I heard Joe Rogan interview Shane Gillis, who, while generally pro-Trump, voiced a desire for the government to treat illegal immigration as a serious issue rather than joke about it. This sentiment reflects how many people feel—reducing significant topics to cruel memes risks losing potential supporters who could be swayed by a more mature approach.
This administration prioritizes speed and virality over nuance and seriousness. They’re aware that a meme—whether funny or cruel—will likely go viral faster than a nuanced message.
You’ve crystallized our views at The Verge: my colleagues interpreted Trump’s actions regarding Maduro and the ICE shooting as emblematic of a meme-driven government mentality—focusing on speed and digital virality before the public has a chance to process and consider events. Rapid response aims to fill the narrative void, but Trump’s methods create issues. While they might win short-term meme wars, their communication about serious matters, like police shootings or immigration, risks losing long-term political credibility. People demand solutions, but not at the cost of outright cruelty.
If the administration rushes out factually incorrect claims, it exacerbates public distrust in government. Although this chaos might seem advantageous for the Trump camp, it ultimately damages credibility. If people lose faith in government sources, it reflects poorly on the administration and affects their relationship with media and elite figures who once took presidential communications at face value.
Is it premature to discuss meme warfare in upcoming midterm elections? Can quick messaging shift opinions and drive voter turnout?
I don’t believe this administration’s meme strategy will bode well for Republicans in the midterms. Many Republicans in contested areas might disagree with the memes produced and wouldn’t endorse them as sound political strategy. The use of memes flattens political discourse by stripping away necessary nuances in favor of cruelty. While some voters in 2026 may align with the MAGA base, to win over the broader electorate, candidates need to appeal to those with more complex views on issues like immigration. They recognize the need for secure borders and enforcement, but most don’t want to see memes that undermine the gravity of issues like family separations.
Older voters, crucial for midterm outcomes, don’t consume memes or connect with them directly. This demographic is key, and many influential voters aren’t meme-centric. It’s questionable whether the strategy will pay off electorally for them.
Image via @afraidofwasps/X.
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Tina Nguyen
Senior Reporter, Washington
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