Subliminal messages in Trump's ad

At nine o'clock at night on the East Coast of the United States, Donald Trump was speaking live on Fox News via phone. He was on Sean Hannity's show, one of the most influential voices in the Republican media landscape. The screen showed a live image of the White House facade, alluding to the tenant who at that moment had his cell phone to his ear, trying to talk to them. The president spent twenty minutes live announcing the first stage of the peace agreement between Israel and Hamas. Beyond his usual rhetoric, what stood out was a laudatory interview focused on reinforcing the narrative of Trump as the architect of everything. Hannity wanted to know what part of the agreement was his work, and pointed out the many countries that had sent messages of recognition for his work. The journalist emphasized a sort of global approval of Trump.

Sean Hannity, a populist figure skilled at confusing opinion and information, is a frequent accomplice in spreading conspiracy theories, and his proximity to Trump has ended up turning his nightly show into a Hannity in a kind of covert political activism space. He is considered the coordinator of ties between the White House and Fox. He was subpoenaed by the Congressional Committee investigating the assault on the Capitol because the journalist had maintained contact with Trump's advisors on January 6. In 2023, Fox paid nearly $800 million to avoid a trial in which there was evidence that several of its hosts, including Sean Hannity, had spread falsehoods about alleged electoral fraud in 2020. In 2005, he created Hannidate, a dating app for conservative and Republican singles.

The journalist is also characterized by a very disturbing on-screen habit. His lapel pins, almost always in the form of versions of the American flag, often carry implicit subliminal messages linked to excessive patriotism. The badge worn Wednesday night while interviewing Trump resembled the Secret Service logo over the red and white stripes. On other occasions, Hannity has worn badges with logos of far-right groups, such as the Punisher skull. Taken from a 1970s comic book, it has more recently been used by military and police groups as a symbol of authority and strength. Hannity donned one of these at the same time as the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement. These badges, now a tradition, have become a lure for the same audience and do nothing more than visually codify an ideology without the need for words.

This Thursday, all the media outlets highlighted the image of the slip of paper and Secretary of State Marco Rubio whispering in Trump's ear, but the fine print surrounding his entire media spectacle goes beyond the president himself.