“He’s Sucking The Life Out Of It”: This TikTok Showing What DC Actually Looks Like Today, Under Trump 2.0, Is Going Viral, And The Reality Is So Horrifying

Posted 3 minutes ago

If you're like me, and your algorithm doesn't want you ever to feel a moment of peace, you hear a looooot of talk about how brutal things seem to be in 2026. Gas prices are high, war wages on in many countries, the weather is hot in a very concerning way, and, for some [redacted] reason, everything is gold in the Oval Office. But there's something about seeing the way things have changed. It's visceral. It's palpable. It's shocking.

Mark, aka @son_of_sally, recently posted a video that proves just how powerful photos can be because...wow. He went around Washington, DC, showing what things are really looking like in the big 2-0-2-6. And, let's just say the reality is SHOCKING:

Mark's video shows what seems to be a broken cherry tree branch:

Some important lore about DC's iconic cherry trees — in 1912, Japan gifted cherry trees to the people of the US. It was an effort that required extensive planning by agriculturists and government officials. Ultimately, it led to thousands of cherry trees blooming and, later, to the start of the National Cherry Blossom Festival in DC, which is still celebrated today. In 1915, President William Howard Taft sent dogwood trees to Japan as a symbol of gratitude. 

Here's what an unbroken DC cherry tree looks like. This was in 2023:

Mark checked in on the Reflecting Pool, too. God. Hasn't she been through enough?:

And here's another angle of the Lincoln Memorial circa 2026:

For reference, this is what the Reflecting Pool area was like in 2023. Sigh:

In general, there seems to be a lot of disarray in DC these days:

You can watch Mark's full video here. 

This clear display of what 2026 has done to our nation's capital has been upsetting to many:

And there's a...certain someone...people are pointing to as the reason things look so yucky and sad:

The symbolism just writes itself, I fear:

In Mark's comments, people are also sharing pictures they took of these same DC spots pre-Trump 2.0:

Aaaaand they're floating some solutions to the problem at hand. Great ideas all around, honestly:

Let's be honest, it's kind of a huge bummer! There's something about seeing how life is reflected in our surroundings that's just visceral. These obvious, visual changes are why Mark thinks his video has resonated so deeply with viewers.

"Americans hear about changes to laws, policies, and benefits that affect their lives, but those changes can feel abstract to people who aren't immersed in politics. Changes to the White House, the Reflecting Pool, or even the Kennedy Center are tangible. They are recognizable places and institutions that the public is already familiar with," Mark told BuzzFeed. "People are also noticing that these changes don't improve their day-to-day lives. They see self-centered vanity projects being prioritized while issues affecting everyday Americans remain unresolved."

Thoughts??? Let us know in the comments.

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