Just hours after President Donald Trump’s inauguration, the new administration removed the Spanish-language version of the official White House website, leaving visitors with an “Error 404” message. The page included a “Go Home” button that directed users to a video montage of Trump’s first term and campaign highlights, later updated to say “Go To Home Page.” This abrupt change, along with the removal of the White House’s Spanish-language social media profile, sparked frustration among Hispanic advocacy groups and others, who saw it as a sign of the administration’s lack of commitment to communicating with the Latino community that played a crucial role in Trump’s rise to power.
While other federal agencies, such as the Departments of Labor, Justice, and Agriculture, continued to offer Spanish-language options, the White House’s actions were seen as a direct cut-off of resources for millions of Spanish-speaking Americans.
In response, White House principal deputy press secretary Harrison Fields explained that the administration was working to bring the Spanish translation section back online, noting that some content had temporarily gone dormant during ongoing website updates.
The removal of the Spanish-language page coincided with Trump’s launch of an illegal immigration crackdown, a key issue for his administration, and his declaration of a national emergency at the U.S.-Mexico border. Hispanic leaders like Monica Rivera criticized the move, emphasizing that it marginalizes the Latino population and sends a dangerous message to Trump’s base. Other experts, like Frankie Miranda of the Hispanic Federation, expressed disappointment, arguing that the White House must engage the Latino community by providing important updates in Spanish, especially considering their significant role in U.S. demographics.
Despite this, the move has sparked debate, with some questioning the priorities of the administration.
While Trump had won a larger share of Latino and Black voters in the 2020 election, the removal of the Spanish-language page has led many to wonder if the administration is truly dedicated to serving these communities.
