Trump Pope, Superman and Jesus: anthology of 'The Donald's' trashiest memes

Please take away social media from "The Donald". Take away his Ai, the tools that allow him to 'meme' like a bored high schooler, and probably the wine too. Because, tariffs or no tariffs, it certainly seems to be widely used in the White House, judging by the alcohol content of Trump's social communication. Indeed, among the distinctive figures of the Tycoon's second term as US president is a raffic of trashy posts in which Trump appears, in no particular order, as a Jedi knight, Pope, Superman, Halo videogame character and, last but not least, Jesus Christ. Material on which semiologists and massmediologists have scattered thoughts freely, among those who say that it is a strategy to zero any distance with respect to the Maga electoral base, those who claim that "he does it" but in reality Our Lord would be very lucid and those who are scandalised because so low - but really low - no communication of any head of state or government of any nation - civilised or not - had ever dared to go so far. For the reader's convenience, let us try to summarise here the most sensational chapters of this bizarre story.

January 2025, Trump's second term starts and, to make it clear that the music has changed, comes the rebranding of the White House website. No longer the traditional light and 'reassuring' shade of blue we were used to, but a very serious, almost threatening dark blue. On the gable, the stars and stripes flag is the only splash of colour. A declaration of intent on what we will see from then on.

It is February 2025 and Israeli bombs are raining continuously on the Gaza Strip. In response to the 7 October humanitarian tragedy stigmatised by the UN has been dragging on for months, but Trump shares a video made with Ai in which he extols the future of the "Gaza Riviera": a waterfront worthy of Miami that ends in a re-creation of the Burj al-Arab, the sail-shaped skyscraper of Dubai, a mainstreet of markets and palm trees where children finally run to play with balloons in the shape of "The Donald's" big face. There is even a golden statue of Trump as the tycoon sips spritz by the pool alongside his friend Netanyahu.

On 3 May 2025, just a few days before the start of the Conclave that will lead to the election of the first American pope in history, comes the 'self-candidate' of 'The Donald': here he posts an Ai-generated image in which he sits on the papal throne. That's just the way the boy is: modesty is not his strong suit.

4 May is World Star Wars Fan Day: 'May the Fourth be with you'. A man of action like Trump does not intend to stand idly by: here he is sharing an image on social media in which he is wearing an Obi-Wan Kenobi habit amidst eagles and US flags. Trump the Jedi knight, in short. But there is one fatal mistake: the red lightsaber he is holding is that of the Sith, the Jedi who have sold themselves to the dark side. Mistake or choice of field?