Beyond the laughter: Trump's 'memetic war' in his foreign policy

Every week, even every day, some news from the Trump administration becomes a "trend" and goes "viral." The social media accounts of the US president and his team—those of Vice President JD Vance and the White House itself, for example—are filled with funny images that use emotional polarization as a strategy, appealing to feelings and sidestepping reason. By provoking laughter, these messages relax the mind and surreptitiously promote the dehumanization of those who think differently or the trivialization of dramatic situations, thus facilitating the perception of the 'other' as an enemy or the acceptance of simple solutions as a stroke of genius that will solve all problems. Trump's communication policy affects the domestic sphere, but it also applies to foreign policy.

Beyond the spectacle, the messages from Donald Trump and his team are engaged in a serious battle. What has come to be known as the "cognitive war," fought not so much in cyberspace—although it certainly takes place on the internet—as in the cognitive realm, is a growing phenomenon that affects us all. Although the strategy is applied by a few—in truth, very diverse actors—the audiences themselves propagate and multiply the messages. Until recently, it would have been impossible to think of social media as a space for warfare, let alone as the main means that states could use to pursue their interests.

Within this new reality, the specificity of 'memetic warfare' plays a particularly important role. This benefits from the successful dissemination of 'memes', those jokes that lower our defenses and that we embrace because they are funny, but which may not be so harmless.

In the book Meme Wars, American authors Joan Donovan, Emily Dreyfuss, and Brian Freidberg describe "memetic warfare" as the strategic and coordinated use of memes as a weapon to influence public opinion, polarize and destabilize institutions, with the goal shaping perceptions and damaging an adversary. Memes can be much more than an image with words; Donovan defines them as short formulas (words, slogans, images, or combinations) capable of condensing complex ideas and circulating quickly, for example, "Make America Great Again" or "Build that Wall."

Other authors focus on the distinction between ideological polarization, which refers to the distance between political positions, and affective polarization, which refers to love/adherence to one's own group hatred/contempt for the opposing group.

Trump 2.0

Although he is not the only politician who makes extensive use of social media and takes advantage of its benefits, Trump has certainly been a pioneer in this direct relationship between a leader and the vast and immediate audience offered by the internet. This happened during his previous presidential term, between 2017 and 2021, and since his return to the White House in January 2025, these practices have taken on a new dimension, revealing a strategic plan in what previously seemed like mere whims of a perhaps bored president.

Back onXand with his own network , 'Truth Social', Trump has continued to generate controversy, supported by the possibilities offered by AI and a diversification of issuers acting together: the accounts of Trump, Vance, and the official White House account have shared hundreds of memes that have been shared and gone viral, with polarizing messages that promote contempt for a 'common enemy', generate division among citizens, and sidestep critical reasoning.

Beyond its impact on US domestic politics, the Trump administration is also using memes internationally, reaching wide audiences in other countries and achieving global resonance. Here are three examples of recent interventions in world affairs, among many that could be mentioned.

Mexican hats, mustaches, and mariachis

The US federal government shutdown due to the lack of agreement for 2026 lasted 43 days, from October 1 to November 12, making it the longest in the country's history. It was also the most widely reported in the media.

Among the numerous posts by the government regarding this status , a message of mockery toward Democrats status , pointing to them as the culprits of the crisis and using the Mexican hat as a symbol of their alliance with undocumented immigrants.

US and Mexican media, along with several Latino groups in the US and other Hispanic advocacy organizations, described the video in which Hakeem Jeffries (current Democratic minority leader in the House of Representatives) appears wearing a sombrero and mustache, accompanied by mariachis, as a tasteless mockery of Mexicans and Latinos. Evidently, the media offensive sparked controversy and, precisely because of this, achieved what it set out to do. In addition to capturing public attention, it managed to link illegal immigration, particularly from the Latino community, to a single nation and reduce it to a common enemy for the US.

Trump Gaza

"Donald is coming to set you free. He brings life to everything you see," "No more tunnels, no more fear. Trump Gaza is finally here!" These are the slogans repeated over and over again in the 30-second clip initially created by pro-Israel groups using AI , which was reposted by Trump staff X staff in February 2025. The video begins by showing children walking among the rubble in present-day Gaza, followed by the text "Gaza 2025... What's next?"; then a transition sample , skyscrapers, luxury hotels, yachts, and parties. It features AI-generated versions of Trump drinking cocktails on the beach with Benjamin Netanyahu, a huge building reading "Trump Gaza," a giant golden statue of him, and money falling from the sky.

In this case, it also connects with like-minded subcommunities on the internet and reinforces its message by giving them visibility. In the devastating context of the conflict, slogans and fictional images take on aspirational value as they portray the intentions of the US occupation of the Gaza Strip as synonymous with immediate prosperity.

Venezuela, the target of the 'war on drugs'

Amid pressure on Venezuela, within the framework the declared "war on drugs," Trump posted a video ridiculing the citizen conference convened by Chavismo in response to the threat of US naval deployment in the Caribbean. Under the degree scroll: "TOP SECRET: We have caught the Venezuelan militia in training. A very serious threat!", global expectations are heightened as to whether or not a US invasion will take place to overthrow Nicolás Maduro.

In September, Trump shared an image of himself in the Oval Office watching a video of an attack on a boat, accompanied by the text "TERRORISTS ELIMINATED. GOODBYE." alongside a trash can emoji. This supposedly corresponds to an offensive against the criminal organization Tren de Aragua, linked to the Venezuelan government and classified by the United States as "terrorist."

By labeling relations between the United States and Venezuela as a "war," both countries are placed in a state of conflict, in which anything goes because it is a fight between a strong state, which must protect its population and the region from the threat of drug trafficking, against another "terrorist." At the same time, by presenting the adversary as weak, the aim is to legitimize a possible invasion, portraying it as easy and quick to execute.

Polarisation

It is essential to bear in mind that behind many images, slogans, posts, and retweets there is a warlike logic; strategically organized actors compete for the cognitive territory of the global audience with the goal winning the battle by spreading biased perceptions and neutralizing rational processes. This leads to levels of polarization that, by continuing to promote division, gain the unconditional support of a substantial part of the audience.

The three examples mentioned show that messages in the "memetic war," however funny they may be, are not harmless nor have they been issued at random. They are elements designed to fuel international narratives that polarize the world's population, pushing it to extremes and distracting it from rational thinking that could lead to a middle ground from which peaceful resolution of tensions is normally sought. If a person shares memes, they become part of a group; if they reject them, they become part of group . Both sides end up feeding off their own virality, which becomes increasingly irreconcilable and antagonistic.