Let’s answer the question in the title. No. President Biden has not suddenly become a Bitcoin supporter.

Memes that are misleading

However, the president’s social media team posted an image of the president with “laser eyes” (he emits laser beams from his eyes) on X (formerly Twitter). The laser eye is said to represent a hardcore Bitcoiner.

But rather than a Bitcoiner, the image of President Biden appears to represent the “Dark Brandon” meme promoted by Democratic campaigners. Mashable reports:

“After the Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, the president posted a creepy image that liberals have reinterpreted and used since 2022 to paint President Biden as a superhero.”

The origins of the “Dark Brandon” meme are, in true Internet fashion, obscure and difficult to understand. As explained by Vox in 2023, the meme was created during the NASCAR During a live interview with Mr. It seems to be emitting.

With beams of light coming out of his eyes, arms crossed and teeth gleaming, President Biden has disrupted the world, especially with Bitcoin doing so well. Bitcoin is currently trading at its highest price since December 2021.

However, President Biden has not turned into a Bitcoiner. According to Mashable, the meme is in response to a right-wing conspiracy theory that the Biden administration manipulates the Super Bowl to secure support from billionaire superstar Taylor Swift.

Long story short, Swift, who announced her support for then-candidate Joe Biden in 2020, recently started dating Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. He urged his fans to get vaccinated during the coronavirus outbreak. For these reasons, both are seen by those on the right as supporting the Democratic Party.

conspiracy theory

Taylor Swift’s fame continues to grow after her blockbuster tour, Eras, which is known for being the highest-grossing tour of all time.

One of the few ways she could further her fame would be for her boyfriend to be part of a Super Bowl winning team.

In fact, the Chiefs defeated the 49ers in the literal final seconds of overtime, becoming the first team in 20 years to win back-to-back Super Bowls.

“It’s exactly what we thought,” Dirk Biden posted on social media, dismissing the far-fetched conspiracy theory.

Nearly two years after the pro-Bitcoin laser eye joke became irrelevant, to be fair to Bitcoiners who got too excited about the US president posting laser eyes, President Biden’s social media team It wasn’t always easy to decipher the “memes” by However, if there was anyone who should be judged, it would be crypto enthusiasts.

As it turns out, the biggest proponent of the idea that Taylor Swift and Kelsey are in a fake relationship solely for the benefit of President Biden is crypto supporter and former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy. Ramaswamy). He wrote in X last month:

“Will there be significant support for presidential candidates this fall from artificially and culturally favored couples?”

Almost all of the reactions to President Biden’s “meme” (is it even a meme if only Democratic insiders understand it?) are from crypto/financial influencers asking “What’s going on?” “I thought it was Joe Biden (a parody) at first,” he said.

We seem to forget quickly. President Biden’s X account has posted Dirk Brandon several times, and each time the same people react in the same way.

What is the president’s team thinking?

One can’t help but wonder why President Biden’s social media team is copying the behavior of crypto enthusiasts.

President Biden has called on the entire government to coordinate efforts on crypto assets, but is he trying to reconnect with a potentially large electorate? Is he trying to prey on “single-issue voters” who probably wouldn’t support him anyway?

Social media is a powerful tool for connecting with voters, but it can also backfire. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ unsuccessful presidential campaign centered on culture war issues influenced by the internet.

What to post in electoral politics is often a matter of how you post, either degrading yourself to appear “hipster” or opting for a more promotional expression. That’s the problem.

In some ways, Dirk Brandon’s laser eyes demonstrate how culture is created online. It’s often a bottom-up phenomenon with people sharing an interest (like the idea that Bitcoin can reach $100,000 if everyone believes in it enough).

Given that the “laser eye” meme is so popular that it’s been used by elected politicians as well as companies like asset management giant Franklin Templeton to show support for Bitcoin. It seems like an unlikely coincidence. But these days, nothing seems impossible when it comes to modern American politics.

｜Translation and editing: Akiko Yamaguchi, Takayuki Masuda
｜Image: US President Biden (X)
｜Original text: Did President Biden Just Endorse Bitcoin?