A TikTok video posted by the White House intended to showcase American culture has been widely mocked online, with critics calling it an “embarrassing video” and questioning whether it was meant seriously.
The clip opens with a black-and-white image of President Donald Trump walking, overlaid with the text — “And they say America has no culture…” — a response to long-running online claims that the United States lacks a distinct cultural identity.
It then cuts to a fast montage featuring Buc-ee’s, the Statue of Liberty, Walmart, an air-conditioning unit, Texas barbecue, tortilla chips and salsa, a Super Big Gulp from 7-Eleven, Mount Rushmore and Chick-fil-A ice, among other images.
Online backlash
The post quickly drew heavy criticism, with users flooding the comments section. One widely shared comment, cited in reporting, read: “As a european I’m confused, is this video supposed to be serious or is it a joke?”
Other users argued that chain restaurants, retail stores and fast food did not meaningfully represent American culture, calling the selection superficial or ironic.
White House response
White House spokesman Davis Ingle defended the video, linking it to broader national celebrations.
“President Trump is ensuring that America gets the spectacular 250th birthday it deserves—and Freedom 250 will execute on the president’s historic vision. Between the Great American State Fair, the Salute to America Celebration, the Patriot Games, Rededicate 250 and other exciting events, 2026 will feature a renewal of patriotism and national pride under this president’s leadership,” he said.
A UFC fight at the White House drew similar criticism
The video’s reference to “the UFC 250 event at the White House” echoes earlier backlash over the same idea.
The Freedom 250 UFC event took place on the White House South Lawn on June 14, 2026, with main card fights in the evening and weigh-ins a day earlier. The event was expected to draw roughly 5,000 on-site attendees and tens of thousands more nearby.
Historians criticized the decision. John Dichtl, president of the American Association for State and Local History, said, “What does a (UFC) fight have to do with America’s greatness?”
The great American state fair concert controversy
Days before the TikTok was posted, the Great American State Fair also faced controversy after performers withdrew from its concert lineup.
Trump threatened to cancel the shows entirely and proposed replacing them with a rally, posting on Truth Social, “We should have a giant MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN RALLY, for 250, instead of having overpriced singers, who nobody wants to hear, whose music is boring and yet who do nothing but complain,” and adding, “Cancel it.”
Following the collapse of the lineup, the fair’s opening event was reshaped into a Trump speech, with Lee Greenwood announced as an introducer.
The White House’s TikTok presence has drawn backlash before
The White House’s TikTok presence has faced criticism since launch.
All five early videos posted by the account were flooded with negative comments, including references to President Trump’s past association with Jeffrey Epstein.
The account has posted edited clips portraying Trump and senior officials as forceful political figures, including footage of Trump rejecting congressional calls and Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt criticizing a New York Times reporter.
The presence of an official White House TikTok account has itself drawn scrutiny, given that federal employees were previously restricted from using the app on government devices and Trump once pushed for a nationwide ban in 2020 over concerns about Chinese government access to user data.
