President Trump’s communications team is embracing unapologetic, campaign‑style tactics from the West Wing—circulating viral deportation clips, clashing with reporters online, and tightening access to key offices—while officials say the approach reflects a changed media environment.
In mid‑March, the White House posted a deportation clip set to Semisonic’s “Closing Time,” captioned with the lyric, “You don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here.” The band swiftly objected, saying the song was used without permission; by that afternoon the X post had drawn millions of views, according to multiple outlets. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the video at a March 17 briefing, saying it “sums up” the administration’s immigration policy. (washingtonpost.com)
Weeks earlier, the White House shared an “ASMR: Illegal Alien Deportation Flight” video featuring the clink of restraints as migrants boarded a plane. News organizations reported that the clip amassed tens of millions of views within a day across platforms. (cnbc.com)
Inside the West Wing, aides describe a deliberate choice to keep communications raw and unfiltered. White House communications director Steven Cheung told The Daily Wire that the first Trump term’s press shop was “one of the most dysfunctional departments,” and that the team has “migrated the communications operation from the campaign to [the White House],” arguing the public now expects direct, unvarnished messaging. Columnist Matthew Continetti said the administration appears more “in command of the narrative” than in Trump’s first term. (Both comments were made to The Daily Wire.) (dailywire.com)
Leavitt likewise told the outlet, “We didn’t stop running a campaign when we signed up to be government workers,” describing a fast‑paced approach to driving the message day after day. (Daily Wire interview.) (dailywire.com)
The hard‑edge posture has been visible online. Cheung has used coarse language in replies to critics and media figures—including a late‑April post calling a CNN guest a “blithering idiot” after she speculated about the president’s health—illustrating the team’s willingness to brawl on social media. (independent.co.uk)
Access for journalists has also shifted. On Oct. 31, the White House barred reporters from entering the West Wing’s “Upper Press” area (Room 140) without appointments, citing the handling of sensitive material. The White House Correspondents’ Association objected, and Cheung pointed to incidents of unauthorized recording and photos as justification. (reuters.com)
Officials have amplified individual enforcement actions to underline policy. An ICE release shows that on March 12 in Philadelphia, agents arrested Virginia Basora‑Gonzalez, a previously removed Dominican national with a fentanyl‑trafficking conviction; the White House highlighted the case in posts that drew large engagement. (ice.gov)
Another focal point was the case of Kilmar Ábrego García, a Salvadoran national whose March deportation drew widespread attention and legal scrutiny. Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D‑Md.) met Ábrego García in El Salvador on April 18 and later said he had been held incommunicado. In June, after Ábrego García was returned to the U.S., prosecutors charged him in federal court with human‑smuggling offenses (conspiracy to transport and unlawful transportation of undocumented migrants). The government has described him as tied to MS‑13, allegations his lawyers dispute; coverage and court records reflect the contested claims. (reuters.com)
The messaging extends beyond immigration. On May 2, the official White House account posted, “The only DEI we support: Deport Every Illegal,” a wordplay on diversity, equity and inclusion that drew criticism and attention online. (latintimes.com)
At the same time, the team is embracing large‑audience interviews on new and legacy platforms. Trump’s three‑hour appearance on Joe Rogan’s podcast during the 2024 campaign drew more than 35 million views on YouTube within days, according to platform statements and industry reporting, and the president returned to 60 Minutes this month for his first interview with the program in five years. (thewrap.com)
Leavitt has also leaned into confrontations with the press. On Oct. 20, she posted a screenshot of a testy exchange with HuffPost’s S.V. Dáte—responding “Your mom did” when asked who suggested Budapest for talks—then labeled him a “far left hack,” a post that quickly went viral. Cheung replied to Dáte separately with “Your mom.” (mediaite.com)
Inside the operation, aides remain candid about the calculus. “We want them to be spun up… It distracts them,” a senior official said of critics and the press; Leavitt calls the deportation message “a winning” one for the president. (Both remarks were made to The Daily Wire.) (dailywire.com)