Donald Trump the Sith? White House’s AI-generated Star Wars Day post sparks outrage over Red Lightsaber gaffe

An AI-generated image of President Donald Trump stirred controversy yet again. On May 4, the White House posted an image of Trump wielding a red lightsaber, clad in a Jedi robe, and flanked by bald eagles and American flags, on “Star Wars Day".

“Happy May the 4th to all, including the Radical Left Lunatics who are fighting so hard to bring Sith Lords, Murderers, Drug Lords, Dangerous Prisoners, & well known MS-13 Gang Members, back into our Galaxy,” the White House wrote on X. “You’re not the Rebellion—you’re the Empire. May the 4th be with you.”

Star Wars blunder

Although the post intended to present Trump as a patriotic Jedi, social media users quickly pointed out the contradiction — he was holding a red lightsaber, traditionally used by Sith Lords, not Jedi.

Backlash after AI-Pope image

The Star Wars image comes on the heels of an AI-generated Trump as Pope image controversy. Just days earlier, Trump posted a picture of himself dressed as the Pope, which drew sharp criticism from religious leaders — especially as it was reshared by the White House not long after Pope Francis’s death.

“There is nothing clever or funny about this image, Mr. President,” the New York State Catholic Conference wrote on X. “We just buried our beloved Pope Francis and the cardinals are about to enter a solemn conclave to elect a new successor of St. Peter. Do not mock us.”

“This isn’t about politics. It’s about respect,” a Vatican correspondent tweeted. “He turned a global moment of mourning into a meme.”

Bad Guys use red, say Star Wars fans

On X (formerly Twitter), users quickly weighed in with a mix of sarcasm, confusion, and criticism.

‘Why are you holding a Red Lightsaber though?’

Many questioned the choice of lightsaber color. One user bluntly asked, “Why are you holding a red lightsaber though?”

Another echoed the confusion, writing: “Wait don’t the bad guys carry the red light saber?”

A third user pointed out the apparent lack of pop culture awareness in Trump’s social media team:

“How do you not have one nerd on staff to tell you what color lightsaber is good and what color is bad???”

AI Assistant even gets asked

In the confusion, one user tagged xAI’s chatbot, Grok, seeking clarification: “Hey @grok, whose lightsabers are red in Star Wars?”

Image damages US credibility

Not everyone saw humor in the post. One user commented bluntly: “Trump is turning the U.S. into a global laughing stock.”

The combination of AI-generated religious imagery and fantasy-themed portrayals has raised broader concerns about the blurring of Presidential identity with internet meme culture.