The White House quietly introduced a satirical webpage modeled after the early 2000s social media platform MySpace, targeting House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. The page, named “MySafeSpace,” appeared on the official whitehouse.gov domain on the November 2, 2025 weekend, as the government shutdown became the longest in U.S. history.
The parody page emulates MySpace, complete with a sombrero background, Linkin Park’s “What I’ve Done” as the profile song, and a “Top 8 Friends” list echoing conservative media points. The profile, seemingly owned by “Hakeem,” represents Jeffries, the House minority leader from New York’s 8th Congressional District. His profile photo, a modified Getty Images picture published by NBC News, shows Jeffries with Schumer at the White House, altered to include a mustache and sombrero.
The official White House X account highlighted the page on Sunday, noting it as a place for Democrats when reopening the government seems challenging. Contact links on the page lead to pre-filled emails directed to Jeffries’ and Schumer’s congressional offices. The profile notes October 1, 2025, the first day of the shutdown, as Hakeem’s “last working day,” linking the satire to the ongoing funding crisis.
White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers defended the page, stating that it is a creative way to remind Americans of the priorities of Jeffries, Schumer, and the Democratic Party. She asserted that Democrats can end the shutdown anytime, but prefer to use the situation for political gains.
The mock profile includes derogatory nicknames for Jeffries, such as “Temu Obama,” “Dollar Store Obama,” and “Sombrero Guy.” The “About Me” section claims Democrats in Congress prioritize DEI initiatives, transgender rights, and benefits for undocumented immigrants, while neglecting military pay and public safety. A “heroes” section lists those identifying as radical leftists, transnational gangs, and undocumented immigrants.
The “Top 8 Friends” list features an autopen symbolizing President Joe Biden, a reference to Republican allegations about document signing practices. Other entries include “Chucky,” featuring Schumer’s image; “Tampon Tim,” depicting Minnesota Governor Tim Walz; and “Maryland Man,” featuring Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was mistakenly deported to El Salvador earlier this year. Trump administration officials have accused Biden administration officials of using an autopen for document signing, claims former Biden officials have denied.
Various links throughout the parody redirect to White House press releases, statements, and negative news coverage of Democrats regarding the shutdown. A “voting record” link sends users to a Hill article titled “Senate Democrats block government funding bill for 13th time.” The page also lists mock favorite songs like Drake’s “Shut it Down” and Pitbull’s “Shut it Down,” along with favorite movies such as the 2016 all-female Ghostbusters remake and the recent live-action Snow White film.
The shutdown deadlock involved Senate Democrats’ refusal to support a Republican stopgap spending bill unless it extended COVID-era Affordable Care Act subsidies. Democrats have insisted they will not vote with Republicans on temporary funding until they reach a deal to extend ACA subsidies, which are set to expire on December 31. Without these provisions, healthcare costs could significantly increase for Americans relying on the ACA, with insurance premiums potentially rising from $888 to $1,904 for over 24 million citizens.
Republicans have argued that Democrats refuse to reopen the government because they aim to fund healthcare for undocumented immigrants, a claim that is misleading, as federal law already prohibits such funding. The GOP-backed funding resolution requires at least 60 votes in the Senate to pass, meaning some Democrats would need to join the Republican majority. Democrats initially proposed their own temporary funding bill, which would have lasted through October 31 and extended ACA subsidies while reversing certain Medicaid cuts Republicans enacted earlier this year, but it also failed to secure 60 votes.
The White House found funds to pay military personnel again last week during the shutdown, addressing Republican concerns about military compensation. President Trump has called on his party to abolish the Senate filibuster to pass a spending deal, but has otherwise refrained from direct intervention on Capitol Hill, instead criticizing Democratic leaders on Truth Social. He has shared spoof photos of Jeffries wearing a sombrero several times during the shutdown, with most Republican leaders either finding the images amusing or suggesting Jeffries should ignore them.
The shutdown ultimately ended after weeks of tense negotiations, with Congress agreeing to a temporary funding deal that restored government operations while longer-term budget talks continued. The resolution offered only a brief reprieve, but it marked the first significant breakthrough after a historic standoff that had tested both parties’ political strategies.
Representatives for Schumer and Jeffries did not immediately respond to requests for comment about the MySafeSpace site. Polling has suggested the administration’s blame strategy may have backfired, with a majority of the public holding the GOP responsible for the impasse rather than Democrats.
MySpace, launched in August 2003 by developers Tom Anderson and Chris DeWolfe, was the largest social networking site worldwide between 2005 and 2009 before being surpassed by Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other platforms. News Corp purchased MySpace for $580 million in July 2005, and the site has changed ownership multiple times since, with pop star Justin Timberlake serving as co-owner from 2011 to 2016. The platform remains operational today under Viant Technology.
