{"id":44143,"date":"2025-05-06T17:33:25","date_gmt":"2025-05-06T21:33:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/?p=44143"},"modified":"2025-05-06T17:33:25","modified_gmt":"2025-05-06T21:33:25","slug":"trump-as-a-dark-sith","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/2025\/05\/trump-as-a-dark-sith.html","title":{"rendered":"Trump as a Dark Sith?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The White House \/ X<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A controversial new White House post on Instagram and X is dividing <\/span>Star Wars <\/span><\/i>fans on social media. Some people say the post depicts Donald Trump as a villainous Dark Sith, while others insist it shows him as a heroic Jedi.<\/span><\/p>\n

The White House suggests that Trump represents new hope, and in the <\/span>Star Wars <\/span><\/i>galaxy, hope is associated with Jedis. Its <\/span>Star Wars-<\/span><\/i>themed post<\/span><\/a> features an AI-generated image of a beefed-up Trump holding a sword-like lightsaber and flexing his bulging muscles in a heroic pose. In the background are two American flags and two bald eagles.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The post also includes a greeting that begins with \u201cHappy May the 4<\/span>th<\/span> to all, including the Radical Left Lunatics who are fighting so hard to to (sic) bring Sith Lords, Murderers, Drug Lords, Dangerous Prisoners\u2026 back into our Galaxy.\u201d It ends with \u201cMay the 4<\/span>th<\/span> be with you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Variety <\/span><\/i>explains the latter reference by saying, \u201cThe fourth of May is colloquially known as <\/span>Star Wars <\/span><\/i>day among fans of the franchise. In celebration of the day, it is common practice to say, \u2018May the 4<\/span>th<\/span> be with you,\u2019 which is a play on words of the iconic <\/span>Star Wars<\/span><\/i> line, \u2018May the Force be with you.\u2019\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Opponents of Trump think the White House post shows the president as an evil Dark Sith Lord. Some say their proof is the red lightsaber in his hand. In the <\/span>mythical <\/span>Star Wars <\/span><\/i>galaxy<\/span><\/a>, red is the color associated with anger, darkness and power. It is also the color of choice for supervillain Darth Vader and his followers.<\/span><\/p>\n

But the color of Trump\u2019s lightsaber isn\u2019t the only source of controversies and comments on social media.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

One commenter wondered,<\/span> \u201cIs this taxpayer funded playtime?\u201d Another said, \u201cJedis are not beefed up. They have the wrong franchise. But ignorance is strong in these people.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Someone else chimed in, \u201cHe\u2019s such a broken little man.\u201d And a social media user who responded to the Fox News story about the White House brouhaha said, \u201cHow do you not have one nerd on the staff to tell you what color lightsaber is good and what color is bad???\u2019\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Trump supporters see the situation \u2013 and the AI image of Trump — differently. Some insist that the president is not holding a red lightsaber. Rather, the weapon in his hand is an orange lightsaber. But some think the White House deliberately chose red because it is the color associated with Republicans.<\/span><\/p>\n

Headlines announcing the controversy included the following:<\/span><\/p>\n