The Trump administration is facing criticism after the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shared a social media post quoting a phrase tied to a white supremacist author whose work was promoted by a Neo-Nazi group.
On Monday, DHS posted to X the phrase, “Which way, American man?” The line appears to echo the title of Which Way, Western Man, a 1978 book by white supremacist William Gayley Simpson. In the book, Simpson praised Hitler and argued that Jews should be killed. While the phrase has since been repurposed in internet meme culture, its roots remain linked to extremist ideology.
Amy Spitalnick, CEO of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, told Newsweek: “This administration has made a point of further normalizing explicit extremism—from dangerous conspiracy theories and rhetoric, to the appointment of officials with deep extremist ties, to dehumanizing policies.”
When asked by Newsweek whether DHS staff knew the origin of the phrase, Assistant DHS Secretary Tricia McLaughlin responded: “Where are we quoting a white supremacist? This is so embarrassing for Newsweek.”
The post highlights how the administration has leaned on memes, quotes, and viral trends as part of its official communication strategy, particularly around immigration. Supporters argue this keeps the government in touch with online culture, while critics say it risks spreading racist dog whistles.
Simpson’s book, published by the Neo-Nazi group National Alliance, has long been condemned as racist and antisemitic. In it, he wrote that “all aliens”—including Jewish, Asian, and Black people—should be expelled from the United States. He also defended Hitler’s actions before World War II and suggested America would need to take a similar path. The National Alliance itself promotes the belief that multi-racial societies cannot thrive and that governments serving more than one racial group cannot succeed.
The DHS post included a reworked 1936 political cartoon of Uncle Sam at a crossroads. The original illustration, referencing President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal, depicted signs pointing toward “New Deal,” “Liberty,” “Opportunity,” “Inflation,” and “Depression,” with Uncle Sam holding a sign reading “Prosperity.”
In the DHS version, the signs were altered to read “Law and Order,” “Opportunity,” “Homeland,” and “Service” pointing one way, and “Invasion” and “Cultural Decline” pointing the other. The phrase “Law and Order” has been a staple of the Trump administration’s messaging.
The image follows a trend in DHS communications that borrow from historic U.S. artwork and wartime propaganda. Recently, Bible verses have also been incorporated into the department’s online messaging.
Amy Spitalnick warned: “At a moment of record antisemitism and broader violent hate, we know where this increasingly mainstreamed extremism leads. I’ll also note that yesterday and today are the 8th anniversary of the Charlottesville violence, which was fueled by the very same white supremacist ideas.”
A spokesperson for the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) added: “Not only does the image basically equate migrants in the U.S. with ‘cultural decay’ and ‘invasion,’ but also the accompanying text clearly evokes the title of early 20th century white supremacist and antisemite William Gayley Simpson’s book Which Way, Western Man? In that book, which is popular with neo-Nazis and other white supremacists, Simpson argued that Western civilization was in decline and that Blacks and Jews (as well as Asians) threatened the very existence of the white race. A U.S. government agency should not resort to using such language and imagery for any purpose, let alone recruiting people to serve.”
Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, a senior fellow at the American Immigration Council, wrote on X: “To be blunt; the propagandists running @DHSgov are deliberately pushing thinly-veiled neo-Nazi material through the official communications channels of the U.S. government. Their goal is stirring outrage (to which they will express fake outrage) and signaling to their followers.”
Not everyone agreed. Mark Krikorian, executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies, argued on X: “It’s a common meme & I’d be surprised if 1 in a million heard of the book. Book sounds loathsome, so in that respect the meme is like This Land Is Your Land, written by a Stalinist lickspittle (w/ commie verses at the end) but now disconnected from its origin & widely accepted.”
The controversy comes as DHS intensifies its recruitment drive for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). More than 100,000 people have reportedly applied for roles in recent weeks. The effort is backed by $75 billion in funding from President Trump’s latest tax and spending bill, with $30 billion specifically dedicated to hiring.
