Secretary of State Mike Pompeo launched an Instagram account on Monday and marked the occasion by posting a photo declaring that the State Department has “swagger.”
In fact, the department, which is tasked with working on international affairs, apparently is now the “Department of Swagger,” according to the (clearly joking) photo posted by Pompeo, which switched out the official seal of the department with the joke seal.
“Thought I’d launch my Instagram account with some @statedept #swagger,” the secretary of state wrote.
The “swagger” seal was also posted on Pompeo’s Twitter account.
The “swagger” seal seems pretty on brand for Pompeo, who said he wanted the department to “get its swagger back” during his swearing-in ceremony in May.
“I want the State Department to get its swagger back,” he said, according to NPR. “We need our men and women out at the front lines executing American diplomacy with great vigor and energy.”
Shortly after his swearing in, the Secretary of State repeated his desire for more “swagger” during an interview on Fox News, the New York Times reported.
“And so I’m going to build the team,” he reportedly said. “We’re going to get our swagger back, and the State Department will be out in front in every corner of the world leading America’s diplomatic policy, achieving great outcomes on behalf of President Trump and America.”
In March, Pompeo replaced Rex Tillerson, who President Donald Trump originally tapped as his Secretary of State and who was criticized for dragging the department down.
Of course, the “swagger” seal was mocked online.
(cringe) https://t.co/s4eLpg7k5g
— Kate Bennett (@KateBennett_DC) September 10, 2018
Department of State. Noun. The department of the U.S. federal government that sets forth and maintains the foreign policy of the U.S.https://t.co/YjzqcFu9Nn https://t.co/hsGbGvO0pP
— Dictionary.com (@Dictionarycom) September 10, 2018
Delete your account https://t.co/k4qOwBwEqt
— Register and Vote Engineer (@StarshipTech) September 11, 2018
What a f*cking joke this country has become! 🤦🏻♀️ https://t.co/D3uvf65K6y
— yarillys (@yarillys) September 11, 2018
— Parker Molloy (@ParkerMolloy) September 11, 2018
This is not a parody account. I repeat, this is not a parody account. This is an actual tweet from the Secretary of State of the United States of America.#Trumpland https://t.co/SePwG3lqNl
— SFDB (@sfdb) September 11, 2018
Because “swagger” works so well as a tool of diplomacy and statesmanship… https://t.co/sDr0tW17jJ
— Josh Meyer (@JoshMeyerDC) September 11, 2018
We’re going to die. https://t.co/93rQ3g6j5z
— Michael Letterle (@mletterle) September 10, 2018
Imagine just for a moment if Obama’s…. oh never mind. This shit is normal now. https://t.co/F8Zep5o9mc
— Zach D Roberts (@zdroberts) September 11, 2018
Judging by the response online, the “swagger” seal had the opposite effect.