The White House is talking to lots of people who create stuff online about what Biden will say in his State of the Union speech.
Many online content creators are getting special information about President Joe Biden’s big speech, the State of the Union address, before he gives it on Thursday. The White House has confirmed this to WIRED.
About 70 creators, including digital publishers and popular social media personalities, will meet with the White House to help spread its message on platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok. Some got the details on Wednesday, but more will be involved on Thursday. Together, these creators have over 100 million followers. The government hopes to use their big online audiences to connect with people who might not watch the speech on TV.
Creators, like Johnny Palmadessa, who works with Democrats online, talked about things like helping students with their loans and the president’s plans for the economy on Wednesday. Other well-known people on social media, like Keith Edwards and @emilyinyourphone, were also there.
Johnny Palmadessa said it was great to meet all these digital leaders who have been active online for the past four years. He found it inspiring to meet other activists, strategists, and influencers in person.
Vice President Kamala Harris is also planning to meet with creators and online publishers on Thursday afternoon. It’s the first time there will be a special lunch for influencers. The White House said this event will be like the president’s usual lunch with TV networks.
In recent years, the White House has been making efforts to connect with popular social media stars on platforms like Instagram and TikTok. In 2022, about 30 TikTok creators had a meeting with the administration over Zoom to talk about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Since then, these influencers have been helping to spread the president’s messages in new ways. Last December, the White House’s Office of Digital Strategy organized a Christmas party for influencers, with over 400 people attending.
The Biden reelection campaign is also focusing more on its online presence. In January, the campaign joined TikTok for the first time, despite concerns that the platform could be used for spying. Before that, the campaign used its network of influencers on the app. Recently, the campaign hired four new people, including two digital persuasion experts. This will also be the first time that the State of the Union address will be officially livestreamed on Instagram, on the president’s @POTUS account.
“We’re now at a point in the campaign where more people are paying attention, and we want to make sure we’re connecting with them everywhere we can,” said Rob Flaherty, who helps manage Biden’s campaign, in an interview with WIRED magazine last month.
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