With the popularity of social media on the rise for over two decades, the American people are left to question: at what point has the line been crossed?

Social media, since its introduction, has ingrained itself into every aspect of life. It now affects the reputations of celebrities, the lives of students, the careers of the working class, and the outcomes of campaigns. But possibly the most egregious consequence is the extent to which the government, its staff, and its related institutions use social media.

There are many hot topics currently being discussed in the United States, and there are many government relatives who have strong opinions about them.

On September 29, 2025, President Donald Trump, on his personal Instagram account, posted an altered video of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (Democrat) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (Democrat), editing their appearances and dubbing their responses to the press. 

Jeffries is edited wearing a sombrero. He is not Mexican or even of Hispanic or Latino origin. An audio layered over Schumer’s speech depicts him saying things such as “We have no voters left because of our woke trans bullsh*t” and “We need new voters and if we give all these illegal aliens free healthcare, we might be able to get them on our side so they can vote for us.” 

“They can’t even speak English,” the voiceover added. 

The insinuation that anyone offering a different viewpoint is “one of them” or protecting illegal “aliens” creates a dangerous precedent that demonizes immigrants, specifically of Hispanic origin. Trump is a very vocal advocate of mass deportations, as seen through his work with the Department of Homeland Security and ICE, but to outwardly slander and misrepresent his colleagues and peers on a platform as large as his is a blatant misuse of power. It is as professionally disrespectful as it is personally, for Trump has clearly shown his bias towards Mexican immigrants compared to those from different countries. His enthusiasm can be seen as racist, homophobic, and generally offensive, which is not the way that the president, as an employee of all Americans regardless of ethnicity or sexual identity, should be presenting himself. By firmly posing himself against a group of people and, by consequence, forcing his audience to choose sides, he furthers the divide not only between parties, but also among ordinary American citizens, most of whom are or have descended from immigrants.

With the increase of attention on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), they have also increased their presence on social media. For those who are unaware, the DHS is responsible for protecting our country’s borders and managing the flow of people and products into and out of the United States, but recently, they are most known for working in conjunction with ICE to enforce the mass deportations of illegal immigrants out of the United States. This issue is cloaked in controversy, so one could expect the DHS to display themselves in a more neutral way, but historically that has never been the way to gain attention from the public.

On September 22, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security, on their official X (formerly Twitter) account, posted an edited version of the Pokemon theme song “Gotta Catch Em All!,” but instead of the lovable fictional creatures that are typically collected in the game, they were replaced with clips of ICE raids and people being arrested. 

Since then, according to the BBC, Pokemon has publicly stated that it did not approve nor support the use of their intellectual property in this setting.

Firstly, this post further encourages the demonization of Mexican immigrants by representing them as “inhuman” or creatures to be wrangled. It, again, reinforces the idea of “us versus them,” and that immigrants in general are a threat to the American people. The fact that the Department of Homeland Security thought it was appropriate to post something so derogatory represents the apparent shift in, and the values of, the department as a whole. Moreover, it is acting as an example of acceptable behavior towards immigrants or anyone from a diverse background who could be mistaken as “not truly American.” As an official US government agency, basic respect for human life should not be collateral damage lost due to furthering their agendas. Human life is still valuable and worthy of basic civility, regardless of citizenship status. To reinstate, the problem about this post is not inherently the stance being taken; the issue is with how the DHS has decided to make light of a sensitive situation, which comes off as thoughtless despite whether humor was intended or not. People with livelihoods are being taken from their homes and their families, and despite whether you agree with their presence in the United States, there is still a human life being uprooted. 

While the posts mentioned above are examples of the weaponization of social media by politicians, it is also important to mention that social media can and is used by many government officials to connect with larger, younger audiences and to empower their intended base. Politicians such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) and Zohran Mamdani have gotten positive responses to their content on social media without posting demeaning and offensive content, but they are, too, not without their flaws. 

No matter the side, it seems that all politicians cannot refrain from posting negative content about their opposing party which furthers the gap between Republicans and Democrats, family and friends, neighbors and coworkers.

With every post, every view, every like, and every follow, the American people grow farther apart as politics, not unlike social media, becomes a part of daily life.

Topics that have drastic effects on the average American are important and must be advocated for. Citizens must stand up and support their views, especially if human rights are at stake. However, a consequence of this mindset is desensitization. The population is so used to outward slander and offensive posts made by those in power that we barely react. As a whole, we must hold politicians accountable for their impact on the social climate through their use of social media, and we must not use what the government posts as a guide for our own way of life. The spread of hate cannot be blamed solely on our “leaders.” It is also up to the individual citizens to remain strong in their morals and stick to what they believe to be right.