‘I cannot believe the content that is posted by the official Instagram of the White House.’

Brianna Heckman, 22, is a student majoring in film at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She spent one year at UW-Whitewater and then transferred, and she is now in her fourth year. After the election, she was shocked by the results and realized she could have been living in a political echo chamber.

Annabelle Hershelman: What was your initial reaction to the November 2024 election results and the beginning of the second Trump administration in January?

Brianna Heckman: I was very surprised and upset because I remember undoubtedly thinking that Kamala Harris had a chance to win the election. I remember that when he initially got elected in November and the results were confirmed, I was in shock, and I cried. I was angry, and I did not see how people could have voted for Trump. He’s a businessman, and people like what he has to say, but I think that people did not do their research into what Project 2025 was initially described as. Since the election, I have talked to a few Republicans who have told me that they regret their decision.

Annabelle Hershelman: Can you describe how you felt about the competition of the election race and how you thought former Vice President Kamala Harris had a chance to win?

Brianna Heckman: When everyone around me seemed to be voting blue, I felt like there was a lot of hope for people who shared similar beliefs to mine. However, when I found out that Trump had won Wisconsin and that this state had voted red, I was shocked and had the realization that I did live in a form of an echo chamber. I think that if Kamala Harris had the chance to run from the beginning, there could have been a more hopeful outcome. But I think that people do not like seeing women in power, and we still have not had a female president.

Annabelle Hershelman: How do you feel about the way that the second Trump administration conducts itself and enforces its policies?

Brianna Heckman: I cannot believe the content that is posted by the official Instagram of the White House. The content made by artificial intelligence shocks me. When the AI video of Trump’s view of the future of Gaza was posted on Instagram, I was immediately shocked by how insensitive and tone-deaf the reel was. I remember looking at the comments people posted that were saying that they were Republicans and could not believe the careless creation of the video. I do not think he cares about his own supporters either.