It’s an image that could belong to a film that’s part horror, part science fiction: US President Joe Biden He stands against a dim background, bright red laser beams emanating from his eyes, his United States flag brooch shining prominently on his lapel.

However, it wasn’t a meme page or a troll account that posted this picture: that was it Posted on Biden’s own X-page early Monday. Against the backdrop of Israel’s brutal war on Gaza, which killed more than 28,000 people and was supported by the United States, the image sparked particular criticism of Biden from some social media users.

Here’s everything we know about Biden’s post so far:

What was the post about?

Biden’s post came after Kansas City Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers in the Super Bowl.

Singer Taylor Swift – arguably the biggest name in the world of entertainment who has previously criticized former US President Donald Trump, Biden’s main rival in the 2024 election – is dating Travis Kelce, who plays for the Chiefs. While Swift’s appearance at National Football League (NFL) games this season has helped the sport’s brand, it has also sparked conspiracy theories among sections of the far right that suggest the NFL was plotting to give the Chiefs a win enable Create a backdrop for Swift to support Biden’s candidacy.

Although the Chiefs won, Swift has not yet declared support for a presidential candidate. However, that didn’t stop Biden from poking fun at the conspiracy theory with his tweet, suggesting he had planned the moment.

The way we designed it. pic.twitter.com/9NBvc5nVZE

– Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) February 12, 2024

Biden’s tweet sparked a range of reactions on X, from digital eye rolls to responses expressing disappointment and outrage.

Several users questioned whether Biden’s account was hacked. Others joked that an intern had posted the picture, while others noted that at first glance they thought a parody account had posted the picture.

Many said Biden’s post was tasteless and insensitive since it came amid Israel’s devastating war on Gaza.

The Biden campaign makes a dark brand joke on the same night Israel kills over a hundred Palestinians in a brutal bombing in Rafah. What did they mean by that? pic.twitter.com/QXvenBlFi0

— The Barracks (@thebarrackslive) February 12, 2024

The Biden administration called for an end to civilian deaths in Gaza continues to be sold and supply weapons to Israel.

This is what the President of the United States is tweeting as over a million men, women and children are slaughtered with weapons he provided and paid for. https://t.co/Y278Per7ZT

– Jay (@kendallhosseini) February 12, 2024

Given the war in Gaza, the position is not “appropriate,” said Ahmed Al-Rawi, an associate professor of news, social media and public communications at Simon Fraser University in Canada.

“But I don’t think Biden is thinking about the global audience here,” he said. “He’s thinking primarily about his U.S. audience.”

What is the Dark Brandon meme?

The alt text or image description in Biden’s post simply reads “dark Brandon.” This is a reference to a meme from October 2021.

During a race at Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama, a crowd chanted obscenities about Joe Biden. During an interview with race winner Brandon Brown, NBC sports reporter Kelli Stavast interpreted the chants as “Let’s go, Brandon” and reported them as such on live television.

Since then, the phrase “Let’s go, Brandon” has become code for verbal abuse against Biden, giving Republican politicians new language to use against Biden online to bypass censorship and avoid criticism. The phrase also appeared in song lyrics.

Let’s go, Brandon!#BidenInflation is an immoral tax on low- and middle-income families. pic.twitter.com/0tpQN89Kos

– Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) October 17, 2021

The Brandon meme has since evolved, with various depictions of Biden’s image with laser beams shooting from his eyes – dubbed “Dark Brandon” – making the rounds online.

Snippets of the “Dark Brandon” meme could even be seen at the venue third Republican November 2023 presidential primary debate.

Has Biden made similar posts in the past?

Regardless of origin, the meme intended to mock and criticize Biden has been repeatedly adopted by Democrats and Biden himself. His tongue-in-cheek appreciation of the Brandon saying began back in 2021 and has continued.

In April 2023, Biden donned dark parasols after joking about becoming a “Dark Brandon” personality during the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner in Washington, DC.

Biden’s campaign published its first post on Truth Social, presidential rival Donald Trump’s conservative social media network, in October 2023. With Dark Brandon’s profile picture, the verified @BidenHQ account posted: “Well. Let’s see how that works. Converts welcome!”

This appropriation of memes is part of an ongoing political war, said Al-Rawi, who has researched and written about the politics of memes.

“The meme itself is a political communication tool,” he told Al Jazeera. “It is being used as a weapon by various parties to attract attention and distract from other issues.”

Al-Rawi believes the Brandon meme worked in Biden’s favor from the perspective of his supporters, who like the fact that he is taking a political attack. On the other hand, says Al-Rawi, it could come across as insensitive in parts of the global south.

Al-Rawi also attributed Biden’s efforts to “memeize” political messages to attempts to connect with younger voters. Biden’s ability to govern has come to the test due to his age and problems with his memory.

Biden is not the only politician who has used memes to spread political messages. Social media teams and followers of politicians such as former US President Donald Trump, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi have relied on memes and internet trends to spread political messages.

World leaders used to communicate through press releases and televised statements, but the emergence of social media has changed the way they communicate with the public, Al-Rawi said.

Memes are one such possibility.