In May 2025, a striking banner featuring the portrait of Donald Trump was hung on the front of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) headquarters in Washington, D.C. The massive image of Trump, positioned next to a banner of Abraham Lincoln—the USDA’s founder—was intended to mark the department’s 163rd anniversary. Instead, it triggered widespread public backlash and sparked comparisons to authoritarian propaganda.
A Creeping Cult of Personality?
The display drew immediate reactions on social media and in the press. Critics dubbed the image "deeply creepy" and reminiscent of Big Brother, evoking George Orwell’s dystopian 1984. Comparisons were also made to historical regimes where a leader’s image was omnipresent in public life, most notably Adolf Hitler in Nazi Germany.
In 1930s and 40s Germany, after Hitler came to power, his portrait became a staple in public buildings—schools, government offices, police stations, and even private businesses. The goal was clear: create a single focal point of loyalty and obedience in the form of the leader. The USDA banner, hung on a federal agency’s building, echoed this tactic, intentionally or otherwise.
Beyond the USDA
The Agriculture Department banner isn’t the first time Donald Trump has embraced grand visual displays of his image:
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Trump International Hotel & Tower, Chicago (2014): Trump installed a massive stainless-steel sign bearing his name, which faced criticism for its size and self-aggrandising tone.
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St. John’s Church Photo Op (2020): During protests near the White House, law enforcement forcibly cleared Lafayette Square so Trump could stage a photo holding a Bible outside St. John’s Church—an act widely condemned as authoritarian imagery for political theatre.
These instances illustrate a pattern: the deliberate use of Trump’s image and brand in public and symbolic ways that elevate his persona, often above institutions.
A Warning from History
History shows that when leaders become the focus of national symbolism, democratic norms are often at risk. The Nazi regime’s reliance on Hitler’s image was not simply aesthetic; it was a mechanism of control and conformity. By making the leader omnipresent, the regime positioned loyalty to a person over loyalty to laws or democratic principles.
The USDA banner, whether a harmless tribute or a strategic move, fits into a concerning trajectory. While Trump has not mandated portraits of himself in every school or office, the use of public spaces to elevate his image mirrors tactics seen in undemocratic states.
Soapbox Opinion
Both Donald Trump and his close ally J.D. Vance have expressed authoritarian-leaning views, often praising or admiring strongmen like Vladimir Putin—not out of personal affection, but because they envy the unchecked power such leaders wield. Their rhetoric and actions reveal a desire for the kind of system where dissent is muted, opposition is crushed, and decisions go unquestioned.
Symbols matter. When government buildings become backdrops for political glorification, it's not just decoration—it’s messaging. The USDA banner controversy serves as a reminder: democracies must remain vigilant against the creeping influence of authoritarian-style propaganda, even when it comes cloaked in patriotic colours.
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