Trump's Legal Spectacle: How Pop Culture Paints the Picture
Former President Donald Trump has several legal cases against him. All of these cases are complicated and often difficult for the average American to understand. The impact that pop culture has had on Trump’s legal saga, specifically social media, artistic expression, protests, and shows like Saturday Night Live have made understanding and analyzing Trump’s legal cases far more accessible.
To begin, it is imperative to understand three of the biggest cases Trump currently faces. First, there is the classified documents case that began formally in June 2023. In this case, Trump faces allegations that he mishandled documents and asked various entities to hide records asked for by investigators. Second, there is the Capitol insurrection and election interference case. This case alleges that Trump attempted to overturn the results of the 2020 election and incited a violent riot on the Capitol on January 6, 2021. Finally, there is the Stormy Daniels extramarital affairs case. This case alleges that Trump paid hush money during his 2016 presidential campaign to clear out the allegations that he had extramarital affairs with former adult star Stormy Daniels.
The first case was heavily amplified by social media like Twitter. After this case resurfaced, people poked fun at the former President’s hypocrisy. In 2016, for example, Donald Trump said that Hilary Clinton’s handling of classified documents should “disqualify her from the presidency.” One Twitter user reposted this quote and tweeted, “Today is a good day to remember Donald Trump said this,” a tweet that received over 8,100 likes. Mitt Romney, former presidential candidate and United States senator, tweeted “These allegations are serious, and if proven, would be consistent with his other actions offensive to the national interest, such as withholding defensive weapons from Ukraine for political reasons and failing to defend the Capitol from violent attack and insurrection.” Finally, Maria Shriver, former First Lady of California, tweeted “I know everyone is innocent until proven guilty in this country, but we the people [deserve] someone whose innocence isn’t in question! [hashtag] Trump Indictment.” These are only some of the tweets of thousands, indicating that Twitter is being used as a political arena to understand complex legal issues, simplifying the debates into easily digestible terms. Now that Twitter is being used to understand these legal issues, users can understand crucial legal cases without having to read the complex cases. Instead, just by opening their cell phones, citizens can be informed on these crucial cases that affect our politicians, and in turn effect the way we vote and understand the legal processes.
The Capitol insurrection was an event closely documented on social media platforms like Twitter, Youtube, and Facebook. Not only were these platforms used to discuss the aftermath and implications, but these events were livestreamed by those who were allegedly a part of the insurrection, something later used by the FBI to prosecute these alleged criminals. Platforms used mostly for far-right users, such as Gab and Parler, were used to describe which streets could be taken to try to evade police and how to pry open doors in the Capitol building. The use of Twitter also arguably contributed to the riots. Former President Trump tweeted “Statistically impossible to have lost the 2020 Election. Big protest in D.C. on January 6th. Be there, will be wild!” Prosecutors allege that this led to the insurrection, holding that the former president is responsible for the rioters’ actions. Furthermore, many artists used this case to create political cartoons depicting Trump as a prisoner. When this indictment happened, Trump’s mugshot went viral on many social media platforms including Twitter and Tiktok. Many of his supporters even used the indictment as an opportunity to stand in solidarity with the former president.
The Stormy Daniels trial was one that was highly publicized as many found it to be quite amusing. As such, Saturday Night Live, the popular sketch comedy show, had multiple sketches involving Stormy Daniels herself and actresses playing her. By incorporating this legal case into a late-night show that millions of Americans watch weekly, it pokes fun at a serious legal situation. This not only publicizes it so that more people are aware and understand the case, but uses comedy to try to relieve stresses and concerns of everyday Americans. It can be difficult for people to stay optimistic in times like these, and Saturday Night Live uses humor to try to make politics, and conversations surrounding politics, less serious.
The use of pop culture, namely art, social media, and Saturday Night Live, to understand politics has made legal conversations more accessible for people. The argument could be made that these mediums mischaracterize or oversimplify complex issues. The fact of the matter, though, is that these mediums open up a conversation for people that would not be conversing on these matters otherwise, a feat that many would argue outweighs the cons.