The Trump Administration and Gen Z Social Media
How has the Trump Administration utilized Gen Z Social Media trends and tactics to promote its agenda?
By Clarissa Schuller
The Trump Administration has mastered the art of social media, using platforms like Instagram, X, and TikTok to shape public conversation and promote its agenda. It is no secret that the Administration recognizes social media as their main battlefield for messaging. This can be seen primarily through President Trump’s own usage of X (and Truth Social) to communicate with the nation.
It doesn’t take long on any Gen Z era apps to encounter a new post from government accounts. From the White House and POTUS accounts, posts have been almost comical. Video footage of Trump attending the UN Summit in June was posted backed by Usher’s “Hey Daddy.” Additional posts from POTUS include AI generated videos and pictures of bald eagles flying around the White House with money falling from the sky.
A Gen-Z Appeal
As silly as these posts can appear, they represent an appeal to Gen Z media culture and “brain-rot humor.” The Trump Administration’s media team is consistently wowing their audience in a comedic sense, while successfully selling their agenda to a prominent base.
In the 2024 election, Trump’s campaign saw a noticeable increase in support from younger men across racial groups, with gains not only among white voters but also among Black and Latino men under 30. The increase in Gen Z young men could explain the administration’s use of ‘younger’ humor and messaging.
Notable posts include one from ICE/DHS with the caption, “Want to deport illegals with your absolute boys?”
View this post on Instagram
Others include images of Uncle Sam urging citizens to join ICE to “Defend the Homeland.” If joining ICE to hang with your absolute boys wasn’t tempting enough, ICE has been advertising a $50,000 signing bonus.
View this post on Instagram
The Online Message
The question remains, what is the Trump Administration’s agenda that they are utilizing social media to promote? It seems as though the Administration has crafted an appeal to young men to buy into a warrior ethos that is at its core, nationalist, populist, and powerful. Posts that appear humorous are reinforcing a deeper message: That citizenship, patriotism, and masculinity are tied to loyalty, toughness and defending the homeland. Gen Z humor blended with this nationalist recruitment rhetoric has created a unique online experience for social media users, and appeals greatly to the President’s younger base.
Politically, the Trump Administration’s media strategy has been most visible in the surge of applications to ICE. However, its broader impact lies in how nationalist rhetoric and messaging have become increasingly normalized across online spaces.
About the Author
Clarissa Schuller is a senior at Grove City College majoring in Political Science. In addition to working for the Institute as a Marketing Fellow, Clarissa serves as the President of the undergraduate Federalist Society Chapter at GCC. She also works on the Grove City Law Journal, and serves on Orientation Board and Crimson and White Alumni Society.
In the summer of 2023, Clarissa was an intern at the Akron City Prosecutor’s Office. There, she assisted prosecutors with traffic court, case details, and administrative duties. In the summer of 2024, Clarissa had an internship at The American Policy Roundtable, where she assisted with various research and voter preparation.
Most recently, Clarissa worked as a Congressional Intern in Washington D.C. in the summer of 2025. She is hoping to return to the Hill and work as Congressional staff while pursuing higher education.
READ MORE BY CLARISSA SCHULLER: Keeping History Alive: Eras and Icons
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed are those of the writer alone and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Grove City College, the Institute for Faith and Freedom, or their affiliates.