The federal government shutdown is curtailing even some of the Trump administration’s more theatrical communications, even as its confrontational style persists.
With the government shutdown underway, large portions of the White House press apparatus have been furloughed, forcing delays or suspensions in routine operations.
One outcome of this development is that media requests directed to the press office now trigger an automated response warning of slower turnaround times, The Daily Beast reported Thursday.
“Due to staff shortages resulting from the Democrat Shutdown, the typical 24/7 monitoring of this press inbox may experience delays. We ask for your patience as our staff work to field your requests promptly,” it states.
“As you await a response, please remember this could have been avoided if the Democrats voted for the clean Continuing Resolution to keep the government open. The press office also cannot accommodate waves, requests or escorts at this time," it adds.
Efforts at online provocation, ranging from memes and insulting retorts to AI‑driven caricatures, have long been central to the administration’s communications strategy.
The report noted that there have been multiple instances in which the White House responded to media queries with meme images or taunts like “Cry more, libs.” In one widely noted case, a meme of a man with a bicycle attached to his head, captioned “dOeS ThE MeMe mAkE sEnSe????????,” was reportedly sent in response to a request for comment.
The press team has also used profanity when responding to perceived slight: at one point calling a reporter “f——ing blind or stupid," the report noted.
The shutdown has not entirely silenced such messaging. On Wednesday, a looping AI‑generated video played in the James S. Brady briefing room, showing House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) wearing a sombrero and mustache while a deepfake audio attributed to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) claimed “nobody likes Democrats because of woke trans bulls——."
White House deputy press secretary Abigail Jackson told the Washington Post: “The sombreros will continue until the Democrats reopen the government!”
Observers view these tactics as part of a broader shift in the White House’s role, from traditional press office to an aggressive rapid‑response operation that deploys memes, social media content, and confrontational messaging to shape public discourse.
While the staff-less communications unit may delay internal functions, the administration appears to be maintaining its provocative posture in the public square.
During a confrontation on the House floor Tuesday, Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-Pa.) pressed Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) about President Donald Trump’s sharing of an AI‑generated video, which some have termed racially offensive. Johnson responded, “It wasn’t my style.”
When Dean challenged him further — calling the video “disgraceful” and “racist” and urging him to denounce it — Johnson walked away, later telling her, “I’m working on it. And personally, it’s not my style.”