While President Donald Trump confronts real-world political challenges—struggling to curb inflation, defeat the Iranian government, and revive American manufacturing through tariffs—his online presence tells a drastically different story.

Across social media platforms over Labor Day weekend, Trump and the White House released an unusually heavy barrage of memes portraying the president as a figure of singular power.

In one shared video, Trump was depicted as a superhero wielding Green Lantern’s ring, effortlessly constructing a border wall to keep out migrants while erecting busy manufacturing facilities.

Another digital post showed him wearing a U.S. hockey uniform, looming ominously on the ice over Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney as Carney cowered before him. A third upload featured Trump aboard a military vessel actively bombarding an enemy naval fleet.

Throughout his career, from his starring role on “The Apprentice” to his tenure in the White House, Trump’s public appeal has frequently leaned on a mythical self-image.

However, the disconnect between digital fantasy and everyday reality has become sharply apparent ahead of the crucial midterm elections.

Surveys indicate that most American adults are dissatisfied with Trump’s management of the economy and view the conflict in Iran as an unproductive effort. In response, Trump has leaned further into online caricatures that depict him as unstoppable and omnipotent.

Using digital memes risks sidestepping tangible issues. Some of these online posts are crafted using artificial intelligence. The administration has previously defended the imagery as harmless humor, calling critics who take issue with it lacking a sense of fun.

Yet the political consequences are significant for congressional Republicans, many of whom have tied their electoral chances to a president facing low approval figures. To energize the party faithful, Republican leadership is putting Trump center stage at an unusual midterm convention held Wednesday and Thursday in Dallas.

Republican strategist Kevin Madden explained that while Trump’s social media activity can successfully rally his core base of “Make America Great Again” supporters, it fails to engage with voters concerned about economic relief.

Voters likely to determine control of Congress in the midterms “are not going to be won over with memes,” Madden said. “The affordability voter is driving this election cycle and the issues they care about are anchored in the economy.”

The White House press office did not respond to requests seeking comment on the messaging strategy. Memes are periodically sourced directly from a sprawling network of conservative online creators, while other digital content is produced directly by White House staff as official communication.

The administration recently released a series of retro-styled video games, including a “Tetris” variant named “Build the Wall.”

Kaelan Dorr, a member of the White House communications team, recently reaffirmed the strategy on social media, writing: “The memes will continue. The winning will continue.”

However, voters are increasingly forming impressions based on physical realities rather than online graphics. Motorists nationwide are facing average gasoline prices of $4.15 per gallon—a rise of nearly 30 percent compared to last year, driven largely by the conflict in Iran.

At the same time, social media platforms are frequently filled with speculation regarding the 80-year-old president’s physical health and vigor, fueled by images displaying bruised hands and video footage appearing to show him nodding off during meetings.

White House officials have attributed the hand bruising to an aspirin regimen and “frequent handshaking,” while firmly dismissing claims that he has fallen asleep during official discussions.

Trump’s predecessor, Joe Biden, was three years older and faced persistent public scrutiny over his age throughout his presidency. In response, Biden’s White House eventually embraced an online meme featuring him with laser eyes to project authority and sharp focus rather than physical weakness.

Andrew Bates, a former deputy press secretary for Biden, suggested that Trump’s digital posts seem designed to evade the responsibilities of office, warning they risk alienating voters who see the president as prioritizing White House decor over resolving the military engagement in Iran.

“When a president who ran on bringing gas prices under $2 a gallon is now saying, ‘You’re at four dollars, it’s OK,’ it unfortunately makes sense that he’s also posting fever dreams,” Bates said.

Some of the shared content has sparked controversy before. In April, Trump posted an image presenting himself as Jesus, an upload that created unease among certain supporters. The president later claimed he believed the picture portrayed him as a medical doctor wearing Biblical robes with light shining from his hands.

In February, his account shared a racist video portraying former President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, as primates; the post was deleted following widespread public outrage. Last October, Trump shared a video showing him inside a fighter jet dumping waste on citizens demonstrating against his policies.

Thus far, the meme strategy has failed to lift his broader standing with the public. A July poll conducted by AP-NORC showed that only 33 percent of U.S. adults approve of his performance in office.

The data also offers insight into why he continues targeting his core supporters: just 15 percent of American adults strongly approve of his presidency, down slightly from 22 percent shortly after he assumed office.