The Repercussions of X (formerly Twitter) as a Diplomatic Tool on U.S. Foreign Policy: A Comparative Study of Trump's Posts and State Department Policies Regarding Illegal Immigration

This study explores public diplomacy as a key element of soft power, focusing on how states influence foreign public opinion through modern communication tools rather than traditional diplomatic channels. It examines the impact of U.S. President Donald Trump’s use of the “X” platform (formerly Twitter) as a diplomatic tool during his first term (2017–2021), particularly in relation to illegal immigration and border protection amid the intensifying U.S.–Mexico border crisis. The study compares Trump’s digital public diplomacy with the traditional diplomacy of the U.S. Department of State. Using a descriptive methodology and content analysis, it examined a purposive sample of 400 posts containing keywords like "immigration" and "border," alongside official State Department summaries. Both quantitative and qualitative analyses were conducted using SPSS. The findings reveal stark differences: Trump’s communication was emotional, direct, and often threatening, grounded in laws and personal views and aimed primarily at foreign audiences. In contrast, the State Department’s discourse was formal, cooperative, and rooted in legal and human rights principles, addressing both domestic and international audiences. The study concludes that while Trump’s use of X allowed rapid outreach, it contradicted traditional diplomacy and weakened American soft power, highlighting the complex role of digital platforms in modern public diplomacy.