Within hours of President Donald Trump’s inauguration, the new administration took down the Spanish-language version of the official White House website, now displaying an “Error 404” message. The page, available at www.whitehouse.gov/es, previously included a “Go Home” button that directed users to a montage of Trump’s first term highlights, which has since been altered to say “Go To Home Page” Source: TIME.

The abrupt closure has left many Hispanic advocacy groups confused and frustrated, highlighting the administration’s apparent neglect of a significant voter demographic that played a crucial role in Trump’s election. Alongside the White House website, the Spanish X profile (@LaCasaBlanca) and a government page focused on reproductive freedom were also discontinued. However, Spanish translations from other U.S. government agencies, such as the Departments of Labor, Justice, and Agriculture, remain operational Source: AP News.

Responding to inquiries regarding the changes, White House principal deputy press secretary Harrison Fields emphasized the administration's commitment to restoring the Spanish section of the website. “It’s day two. We are in the process of developing, editing, and tweaking the White House website,” Fields remarked, noting that some archived content has temporarily gone dormant but will be reinstated soon.

Historically, the Spanish page was removed during Trump’s first presidential term in 2017, with White House officials promising to reinstate it later. When President Joe Biden took office in 2021, he restored the page, which once again became a point of contention as Trump initiated a crackdown on immigration, aligning with campaign promises. The closing of the Spanish site aligns with a recent national emergency declaration at the U.S.-Mexico border aimed at reinforcing immigration controls Source: TIME.

According to the 2023 Census Bureau, approximately 43.4 million Americans—13.7% of the U.S. population aged five and older—speak Spanish at home, yet the U.S. has no official language. Monica Rivera, a communications strategist, expressed that shutting down access to information directly from the White House sends a dangerous message about representation. “There are 43 million Latinos who speak Spanish as their first language...removing access draws a distinct line about who they are serving,” she stated.

Critics are voicing that the closure indicates how a second Trump presidency may prioritize certain issues over others while marginalizing essential communication avenues for Hispanic Americans and immigrants. “A move like this serves no purpose other than to cut off resources for millions,” remarked Anthony Hernandez, a paralegal based in Washington D.C.

Various Hispanic leaders and communication experts have also expressed astonishment at the move, arguing it contradicts Trump’s attempts to connect with Latino voters, a significant voting bloc in the U.S. Frankie Miranda, President and CEO of the Hispanic Federation, advocated, “If the White House is genuinely interested in engaging with Latinos, updates must be available in Spanish.”

In light of the changes, political analysts note that the decision raises questions about which constituencies the administration values more. Jeff Lee, a former deputy cabinet secretary, pointed out that there didn’t appear to be any other language mediums affected similarly. “It’s an interesting thing to single out,” he noted, suggesting that the removal is misaligned with effective governance during a critical period.

This shutdown could influence the political landscape as recent surveys revealed that Trump gained a larger share of Black and Latino voters compared to his 2020 campaign, particularly among young Latino men. In this context, the administration's actions appear to contradict efforts to solidify support from a demographic that is increasingly influential in U.S. politics.

As the debate continues, it remains to be seen how the Trump administration will address the concerns raised and whether the Spanish-language resources will be reinstated as promised.