The Trump administration has marked Presidents Day with a series of social media posts that draw direct comparisons between the current president and two of America's most revered leaders, George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. The holiday, traditionally a time to honor the nation's first chief executive, saw multiple federal departments issue messages that placed President Donald Trump in the same historical pantheon as the founding father and the Civil War-era martyr.
Pentagon and Health Department Lead Tributes
On Monday, the Pentagon's official social media account, which uses the administration's preferred but unofficial name "Department of War," posted an image to X showing President Trump with Washington and Lincoln arrayed behind him. The all-caps caption read: "HAPPY PRESIDENTS DAY." The image of the 47th president appears to be taken from his official White House portrait by Daniel Torok, the former music video director turned chief White House photographer.
Not to be outdone, the Department of Health and Human Services also issued a Presidents Day message that positioned Trump alongside Washington and Lincoln. This post featured what seemed to be an AI-generated graphic showing all three presidents side by side, with the text stating: "This Presidents Day, we honor the leaders who shaped our nation and reaffirm our commitment to serving the health and well-being of every American."
Treasury Department Joins the Fray
The Treasury Department contributed to the Trump-centric tributes with its own post, which showed President Trump gesturing in profile during remarks in the East Room. The image was cropped to portray the incumbent president alongside the life-sized portrait of George Washington by Gilbert Stuart, a copy that has hung in the East Room for 226 years and was famously saved by Dolley Madison during the War of 1812. The department's caption actively promoted Trump, writing that he is "setting the stage for the next 250 years of American excellence" through "tax deals, trade deals and peace deals."
USDA's Mixed Approach
Not every cabinet department chose to specifically feature President Trump in their Presidents Day posts. The Department of Agriculture, led by former America First Policy Institute boss Brooke Rollins, commemorated the day by giving "ode to our founding fathers, especially our first president George Washington and USDA's founder Abraham Lincoln." However, the USDA has previously elevated Trump in a more visible way, with massive banners depicting Trump and Lincoln hung outside the building since last year to mark the department's 163rd anniversary.
Trump's Historical Comparisons
President Trump has frequently compared himself to Washington and Lincoln on multiple occasions. In October, he delivered a rambling speech in the Rose Garden where he complained that a television commentator had rated him only the "third-best president" behind Washington and Lincoln. He argued, "Hey, they didn't put out eight wars, nine coming. We put out eight wars, and the ninth is coming, believe it or not." Additionally, in February of last year, he told Fox News' Bret Bair that he did not believe Washington and Lincoln could defeat him in a hypothetical election if they ran together on a ticket.
The administration's social media strategy on Presidents Day underscores its ongoing effort to venerate the 47th president alongside the nation's most iconic leaders, blending historical tribute with contemporary political messaging.
