Democrats Mock White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt in Anime-Inspired TikTok

The Democratic Party has taken aim at Trump administration Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt through an unconventional medium – a 40-second TikTok video accusing her of spreading misinformation through what they term “cursed energy.”

The official Democrats TikTok account published the clip drawing inspiration from the popular dark fantasy anime series Jujutsu Kaisen. In the video, Leavitt is portrayed as utilizing “indoctrination,” described as a “cursed technique that involves manipulating information, presenting the fabricated or distorted reality as undeniable fact.”

According to the video’s narration, this “cursed technique” directly attacks a person’s capacity “for independent thought, leaving only compliance.” The production intercuts clips of Leavitt and President Donald Trump speaking alongside footage from contentious events including the war in Iran and the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot.

“By releasing an overwhelming amount of cursed energy into the news cycle, the user is able to shape it into precise, targeted attacks,” the video continues, specifically accusing Leavitt of possessing excessive amounts of this metaphorical “cursed energy.”

The unusual approach to political messaging generated mixed reactions in the comment section. Many viewers recognized the anime reference, with one commenter noting: “Someone on the Democrats’ social media team is a Jujutsu Kaisen fan!” Another suggested: “We have to fight brain rot with brain rot.” However, some viewers found the content “cringe,” with critics writing: “Anything but putting a halfway decent candidate forward” and “We are on the stupidest timeline.”

The Democrats’ social media offensive comes at a time when the Trump administration’s communications strategy is under particular scrutiny. Just this week, President Trump himself jokingly criticized Leavitt’s performance during a public appearance.

“I got 93% bad publicity,” Trump remarked before pointing at Leavitt off-camera. “Some people say 97, but between 93 and 97. A person that gets 97 percent—maybe Karoline’s doing a poor job, I don’t know. You’re doing a terrible job.” He quickly added, “Should we keep her? I think we’ll keep her,” before pivoting to complaints about what he termed the “fake press.”

Trump’s comments referenced a claim he made in September that 97% of major television networks were “against” him. During that earlier statement, he mentioned the brief suspension of late-night host Jimmy Kimmel and subsequent threats by FCC chair Brendan Carr to revoke ABC’s broadcasting license.

“All they do is hit Trump. They’re licensed. They’re not allowed to do that. They’re an arm of the Democratic Party,” Trump said at the time. When asked if he intended to have Carr investigate other late-night hosts critical of his administration, Trump suggested that networks providing negative coverage might deserve to have “their licenses taken away.”

The president has not provided evidence for his statistical claim about negative press coverage, only stating in September that he had read the figure “someplace.”

This latest social media exchange highlights the increasingly unconventional tactics being employed in political communications, with both parties seeking novel ways to reach voters through platforms like TikTok. As the political landscape continues to evolve in the digital age, these creative – if controversial – approaches to messaging reflect the changing nature of political discourse in America.