Donald Trump Thanked 'Star Wars' Character Darth Vader During an Official Address

The Galactic Empire ruled over the galaxy far, far away by taking away people's rights, limiting freedom of speech, and spreading hatred through misguided ideologies. All of this was depicted in the Star Wars films and television series, of course.

Far away from the action of the Star Wars franchise, Donald Trump continues his second term as the President of the United States. The story of Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) and the president's second term came together in unexpected ways.

The cultural impact of Star Wars across the world can't be denied. Millions of people have heard of George Lucas's creation, including the lightsabers, ships, and droids that are featured in the fictional narrative.

Why did Donald Trump thank Darth Vader (James Earl Jones) during an official speech? Here's what we know about the background behind the uncanny reference. Without context, it would have been easy for people to believe that the president was talking about the evil Sith Lord.

According to The Daily Dot, the Star Wars reference was actually Donald's way of addressing Russell Vought, the director of the Office of Management and Budget. The politician was present during the speech in which the president mentioned Darth Vader.

When speaking about Russell, Donald said, "I will say this, that we have Darth Vader. You know Darth Vader, right? Darth Vader is a man who, I think, is sitting right … Is that Darth? Stand up, please.”

The President of the United States is fond of those who can enforce his ideas in a quick fashion. Donald was happy to mention how Russell's management performed deep cuts to programs created by the Democratic party. These budget alterations directly affect the country's population.

One of the examples that stand out from the speech is the defunding of the Gateway Tunnel project meant for New York City. The $20 billion initiative aims to expand the rail line between New York and New Jersey.

This isn't the first time Donald made a Star Wars reference during his time at the White House. Axios reports that, during the 2025 Star Wars Day, the President of the United States posted an artificially generated image of himself as a generic galactic character.

The illustration shows Donald holding a red lightsaber. Any viewer who has taken some time to watch a story set in the galaxy far, far away knows that the crimson blades are used by the villains of the story.

Whenever Donald paints himself as a part of the Star Wars mythos, the connections always point to the dark side of the Force. Calling Russell "Darth Vader" was simply the next step of what has been established as a clear pattern.

If Donald's administration continues to cut the budget for the Gateway Tunnel, every person who would have benefited from the tram's construction will lose opportunities. In the meantime, people will have to wait and see if the President wants to become a Jedi.