The Conversation (0)
Yasemin Craggs Mersinoglu
Jan 07, 2021
A video from the pro-Trump rally that took place before the riot at the US Capitol has been called “dystopian” and compared to the authoritarian government in George Orwell's novel 1984.
The “creepy” clip was played to the president’s supporters in Washington DC and featured a voiceover from Trump and an “ominous” cover of the Linkin Park song In the End.
Over the speakers, he said: “What truly matters is not which party controls our government but whether our government is controlled by the people.”
It then cut to the music.
The band has previously issued the Trump administration with a cease and desist for using their songs without permission.
Moments before this took place, Trump’s lawyer Rudy Giuliani left the stage to cheers from the crowd.
A similar video played to the president’s fans last year also previously shocked people.
Many social media users were disturbed by the latest clip and likened it to sci-fi movies and dystopian propaganda from 1984 and The Handmaid's Tale.
What in the 1984 is going here https://t.co/4cWWRLwNGH— Guido (@Guido) 1609950756
this feels like we're living in a fucking zack snyder movie https://t.co/buYrrdBLM8— it was rachatha all along (@it was rachatha all along) 1609949732
This is Handmaid Tale propaganda stuff...scary! https://t.co/XnkMMn5UdB— Miss Recreate (@Miss Recreate) 1609951264
This is so creepy I’m gonna have nightmares. https://t.co/OesSsc1KAY— ©arolBlues😷 🎶 (@©arolBlues😷 🎶) 1609955035
This is fucking terrifying. https://t.co/bYnfYL5nhn— Carly Tefft (@Carly Tefft) 1609951535
Some also reacted to the choice of song.
The lyrics to the song playing ahead of Trump’s speech are “I tried so hard, and got so far, but in the end, it doe… https://t.co/3c6atNzCrQ— elan gale (@elan gale) 1609949718
Someday someone is going to write a doctoral thesis on the Trump campaign’s obsession with this dystopian Linkin Pa… https://t.co/XhcfI7qm5M— Kendall Brown (@Kendall Brown) 1609948949
It's the ominous Linkin Park cover for me https://t.co/ugOsGFmXqr— Joshua 🌹#PassThePROAct (@Joshua 🌹#PassThePROAct) 1609953792
Others took offence to Trump’s team using Linkin Park’s music considering their late lead singer’s opposition.
I shouldn’t allow anything to surprise me anymore, but somehow I still find myself appalled at the absolute audacit… https://t.co/twfk1fSgUU— Sarah McGonagall (@Sarah McGonagall) 1609956470
Uhhhhhhh how dare you use that song https://t.co/588Nr5MKlP— Andrew (LGSC) (@Andrew (LGSC)) 1609949622
Trump supporters later breached and occupied the Capitol building after lawmakers began the process of certifying Joe Biden’s election victory.