For more than a decade, fans around the world have come together on May 4 to celebrate Star Wars Day, coined with the phrase, “May the fourth be with you.” Fans will continue to celebrate on May 5 and May 6, and they are a bit divided on what sounds better — Revenge of the Fifth or Revenge of the Sixth — based around Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005).
Whatever days you decide to celebrate your love for the iconic franchise, one thing is for sure: Star Wars fans are an incredibly dedicated and incredibly knowledgeable. Many Star Wars fans will be able to tell you about each film, character backstories, and more than you could ever possibly imagine wanting to know.
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Even if you are a casual Star Wars fan, you probably know that the films are largely about good versus evil — the First Order versus the Rebellion, the Light Side versus the Dark Side, the Jedi versus the Sith. You also most likely know that the iconic weapons used throughout the film series are lightsabers.
A lightsaber is an energy blade that can easily cut through objects and deflect blaster bolts. Lightsabers can be several different colors, and the color largely depends on which side you are on.
And now, Donald Trump and the White House have entered the Star Wars universe and sparked an intense debate.
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On May 4, the official White House X (formerly Twitter) account posted an altered image of Donald Trump, standing in front of bald eagles and American flags. Trump has enhanced muscles and is wielding a red lightsaber.
The message shared by the White House didn’t explicitly celebrate Star Wars Day, but attacked those it deemed enemies.
Happy May the 4th to all, including the Radical Left Lunatics who are fighting so hard to to bring Sith Lords, Murderers, Drug Lords, Dangerous Prisoners, & well known MS-13 Gang Members, back into our Galaxy. You’re not the Rebellion—you’re the Empire.
May the 4th be with you.
Happy May the 4th to all, including the Radical Left Lunatics who are fighting so hard to to bring Sith Lords, Murderers, Drug Lords, Dangerous Prisoners, & well known MS-13 Gang Members, back into our Galaxy. You’re not the Rebellion—you’re the Empire.
May the 4th be with you. pic.twitter.com/G883DhDRR5
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) May 4, 2025
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While the post railed against Sith Lords and said they were part of the Empire, the picture didn’t convey the same message. In the Star Wars universe, red lightsabers are used by those who are Sith Lords and part of the Empire.
According to the custom lightsaber website, Ultrasabers:
The origins and meaning of red lightsabers in Star Wars are deeply tied to power, aggression, and the unrelenting dominance of the Dark Side. Red lightsabers are notorious in Star Wars as a weapon carried by the most villainous of characters, the Sith. These villains had one life purpose: to eliminate the Jedi Order and gain control as tyrants throughout the galaxy.
In canon, when Sith obtained a natural kyber crystal, they would “bleed” it to change the color to red. This ritual involved pouring all of their anger, hatred, and rage into the crystal, corrupting it so completely that the red hue of the Dark Side overtook it. This practice became the dominant method for forging Sith crimson-bladed sabers, guaranteeing that each weapon embodied a red kyber crystal along with its wielder’s darkness and the intended red lightsaber meanings focused on power, rage, and domination.
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Among the most well-known Star Wars characters who have used red lightsabers are Darth Vader, Darth Maul, Darth Sidious, Count Dooku, Savage Opress, and Kylo Ren (Darth Vader’s grandson).
Commenters were quick to point out the gaffe, citing the irony of the President of the United States holding a lightsaber used by tyrannical villains in one of the most iconic franchises of all time.
So let me get this straight—you’re calling others the Empire while literally posting an image of yourself wielding a red lightsaber? That’s… the color of the Sith.
So let me get this straight—you’re calling others the Empire while literally posting an image of yourself wielding a red lightsaber? That’s… the color of the Sith.
— Phizfifteen (@PHIZ15) May 4, 2025
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Star Wars fans love to embrace their “nerdy” side, and some were disappointed that there didn’t appear to be any real Star Wars fans working in the White House.
How do you not have one nerd on staff to tell you what color lightsaber is good and what color is bad???
How do you not have one nerd on staff to tell you what color lightsaber is good and what color is bad???
— The Sassiest Semite (@LittleMissLizz) May 4, 2025
Of course, some defended the image, saying that the red lightsaber represents the red from the American flag. However, it should be noted that the Jedi have lightsabers that are typically green or blue. The photo could have represented the American flag by using a blue lightsaber, and the message could have been considered slightly more accurate.
What did you think of the image of a beefed-up Donald Trump holding a red lightsaber? Did you think it was ridiculous, or a strong message from the President? Should the image have been criticized as much as it was? Share your thoughts with us in the comments!
The post White House Turns Donald Trump Into Sith Lord in Divisive ‘May the Fourth’ Post appeared first on Inside the Magic.
