The White House’s official social media accounts posted a video on Tuesday showing shackled immigrants being deported, set to the cheerful soundtrack of a viral British airline advertisement, prompting widespread condemnation and accusations of “cruel” and “dehumanising” behaviour.
The controversial post, which appeared on both X and Instagram, featured footage of handcuffed immigrants boarding deportation flights whilst Jess Glynne’s upbeat Jet2 holiday advert played in the background. The video was captioned: “When ICE books you a one-way Jet2 holiday to deportation. ✈️🎶 Nothing beats it!”
Within hours, the post had been viewed more than 68 million times on X alone, triggering a fierce backlash that extended beyond typical political divides. Even some supporters of the Trump administration’s immigration policies expressed discomfort with the tone-deaf presentation.
Artist Condemns Use of Her Music
British singer Jess Glynne, whose song “Hold My Hand” features in the original Jet2 advertisement, responded with disgust to the White House’s appropriation of her music. “This post honestly makes me sick. My music is about love, unity and spreading positivity – never about division or hate,” the artist posted on Instagram.
The video showed immigrants with clearly visible faces being escorted from vans with shackled hands and feet, holding identification documents before boarding aircraft. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents’ faces were notably blurred throughout the footage.
Kaelan Dorr, the White House deputy communications director who oversees the administration’s digital strategy, defended the approach as part of efforts to “meet people where they are.” The 32-year-old former GETTR marketing executive has been instrumental in implementing what critics describe as a “4Chanified” social media strategy.
Pattern of Controversial Posts
The Jet2 video represents the latest in a series of inflammatory social media posts from official White House accounts. Previous controversial content includes an ASMR (Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response) video featuring the sounds of deportation shackles, and an AI-generated image depicting a crying woman’s arrest in the style of Japanese animation studio Studio Ghibli.
“We thought it was necessary to provide pushback in the harshest, most forceful way possible,” Dorr stated regarding the administration’s digital approach. Even the tagline we’ve been using — ‘America is back’ — is very much saying: ‘We’re here. We’re in your face.’ It’s irreverent. It’s unapologetic.”
The White House digital team, comprising roughly a dozen employees mostly in their twenties and thirties, operates with minimal oversight. We’re not just memeing people to death,” an administration official told The Hill, though the provocative posts continue to dominate headlines.
Divided Response
Public reaction to the video split sharply, with critics condemning it as “disgusting” and “horrible.” One X user wrote: “That’s actually really sad and inhumane to make fun of them like that!” Another commented: “Regardless of your thoughts on immigration, a video of this real human going through a traumatic moment, posted as an ASMR VIDEO is VILE.
Even amongst Trump supporters, the video prompted unease. “You are not Christians,” wrote one user, whilst a self-described deportation supporter called the meme “gross” and said it “feels yuck.”
The backlash extended to counter-trolling, with Congressional candidate TJ Adams-Falconer posting a GIF showing Donald Trump alongside convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein with the caption “Fell for it again.” Others referenced the ongoing controversy over unreleased Epstein files, with one user writing: “Nothing beats releasing the files.
Immigration Crackdown Context
The social media controversy comes as the Trump administration intensifies its deportation efforts. In June, ICE ( Immigration and Customs Enforcement) deported more than 15,000 people with aims for 3,000 arrests a day, according to the Metro. The president has also cancelled temporary legal status for millions of immigrants, placing them at risk of deportation.
Data obtained by NBC News revealed that 41% of people detained by ICE in the first two weeks of February had no previous criminal conviction or had a pending criminal charge, contradicting campaign promises to focus on criminals.
Expert Analysis
Marcus Maloney, a sociology professor at Coventry University, characterised the strategy as representing “the 4Chanification of American politics,” referencing the controversial online forum known for “shitposting” – content designed to shock and offend.
Mark Hass, a digital marketing expert at Arizona State University, warned that such content “hurts, ultimately, the gravitas of the presidency — the world’s most powerful office — and it hurts the perception of it not only domestically but internationally.”
The White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended previous controversial posts, including one set to Semisonic’s “Closing Time,” stating: “I think it sums up our immigration policy pretty well: ‘You don’t have to go home but you can’t stay here.’
Viral Trend Appropriation
The Jet2 holiday trend had gained popularity on social media platforms including TikTok, where users typically pair the upbeat audio with footage of chaotic holiday experiences or travel mishaps. The advertisement’s cheerful voiceover by actress Zoe Lister begins with the tagline “Nothing beats a Jet2 holiday!”
The trend’s ironic use typically contrasts the airline’s idyllic holiday marketing with less-than-perfect reality. However, the White House’s appropriation for deportation footage represents a stark departure from the trend’s lighthearted origins.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk, a close Trump ally, responded to a previous ASMR deportation video by writing “Haha Wow,” though the latest Jet2 post has drawn criticism even from administration supporters.
As debate continues over the administration’s immigration policies and digital communications strategy, the White House shows no signs of moderating its approach. “Nowhere in the Constitution does it say we can’t post banger memes,” the official White House account posted earlier this month, signalling its commitment to the controversial strategy.
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