Biden Struggles to Fix Abandoned Spanish White House Website

Once President Donald Trump swore the oath of office, the administration promptly dismantled the Spanish version of the official White House website. The sudden alteration took many by surprise, with a previously functional website now leading to an ‘Error 404’ message. Instead of providing Spanish-speaking visitors with information, it directed them to a page displaying a video montage showcasing Trump in his first term and on the campaign trail. Hispanic advocacy groups aren’t pleased with this abrupt change, engendering a feeling of apparent indifference within Trump’s administration towards maintaining open communication channels with Hispanic communities.

Naturally, this action, which projected a disregard for those relying on the Spanish version of the official website, has been met with considerable criticism and frustration. Confusion is rampant about the sudden switch, which some perceive to be a reflection of the administration’s seeming lack of commitment to uphold dialogue with the Latino community, who played a role in placing Trump in the White House. The implications of these actions are being carefully scrutinized, given their potential effect on the perception of various communities towards the administration.

Inexplicably, both the Spanish profiles of the White House and the government-issued page on reproductive freedom were rendered unavailable, adding to the list of causes for concern among Hispanic communities. This comes despite several other Spanish versions of government agency websites, including the Department of Labor, Justice, and Agriculture, remaining accessible as of Tuesday.

When questioned about these transformations, the White House Principal Deputy Press Secretary assured on Tuesday that the administration aims to restore to functionality the Spanish translation section of the White House website. However, questions about the timing and adequacy of these adjustments continue to fester.

According to the official statement, the current absence of the Spanish site is a temporary situation, taking place while the website undergoes developments, edits, and adjustments. While this is purported to be an ongoing task, some archived content had to be made dormant. Nonetheless, they pledged to republish this content in a brief timeline.

History indicates that the Spanish version of the page was similarly detached once before, back in 2017, under Trump’s oversight. Subsequently, promises were made by White House officials to restore the Spanish page. However, the real fruition of these promises only came in 2021, with President Joe Biden reinstating the page.

The decision to remove the page didn’t occur in isolation. Arguably, it coincided with Trump kick-starting a surge of executive orders on his first day, most notably his much-publicized crackdown on illegal immigration. This was one of the critical campaign pledges that cemented his support base.

Simultaneously, Trump declared a national emergency along the U.S.-Mexico border and announced plans to deploy U.S. troops to back immigration agents and limit refugees and asylum requests. This announcement raises big questions about the priorities of this administration and how they could impact the Hispanic community.

Indeed, the U.S. Census Bureau projected that by 2023, about 43.4 million American residents — pertaining to approximately 13.7% of the U.S. population aged 5 or more — might be conversing in Spanish at home. The removal of the Spanish White House website appears to display an overt lack of commitment towards this significant populace as there is no official language in the U.S..

Certain individuals are offering their insights on the issue. A New Yorker of Puerto Rican and Cuban ancestry, working in brand and communication strategy, opines that the removal of access to Spanish language resources directly from the White House sets a clear dividing line. This move sends a signal to Trump’s MAGA base that Latinos are ‘other’ and portrays them as a less prominent part of America.

Further compounding these concerns, a paralegal based in the nation’s capital revealed that the action indicates the shape a second Trump presidency might take. In their view, overt, dominating issues would saturate the news, obscuring ‘minor but equally malicious things’ like this, causing them to go unnoticed.

Doubts are creeping up about the purpose served by severing the Spanish White House page. Critics argue that this seems designed to sever resources for millions of Hispanic Americans and immigrants striving to enter the U.S. legally. It also appears to be a quite brazen affront to the millions of Hispanic voters who manifested their support for Trump in the recent election.

Among Hispanics leaders and communication strategy experts, surprise prevails. Despite Trump’s popularity among certain Latino voters, they struggle to reconcile this support with the inexplicable removal of the page. Engaging Latinos, they argue, needs to include making updates available in Spanish, reflecting their standing as the second-largest demographic in the country.

A historian specializing in race, gender, and sexuality at Connecticut College accentuates the impact of removing content from White House websites. They hint that such actions not only hinder Spanish-speaking citizens and migrants’ access to important information but lead to questions about which constituents this administration values more.

Finally, a former deputy cabinet secretary and deputy director of external and international affairs for former California Gov. Jerry Brown echoes premises of other critics. They point out the counterintuitive nature of this move, given how it removes an opportunity to promote policy shifts, especially those related to economics and border security. Such actions are likely to stir intense debates on the Trump administration’s approach towards inclusivity and diversity in times to come.

Biden Struggles to Fix Abandoned Spanish White House Website appeared first on Real News Now.

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