'Getting too weird': GOP's 'thirst trap' stunt at convention backfires immediately

Republicans attacked one of their most targeted ideological foes by posting a picture of him in his underwear, which ultimately backfired.

At the Wednesday midterm convention in Dallas, the GOP showrunners tried to warn their audience about the politics of the left by posting a picture of progressive political commentator Hasan Piker in his underwear. Piker has often been criticized because of his far-left views, but the GOP's attack left onlookers baffled by what the party's angle must have been.

"What demographic are they going after?" asked writer Joe Flood.

MeidasTouch, a political news network, described the picture as a "thirst trap." Others noted that the picture blurred out his underwear but nothing else.

"The blur is killing me," laughed Politico reporter Will Steakin. "Lol not the blurring," mocked political podcaster Francesca Fiorentini.

"Things are getting weird in Dallas," commented writer Philippe Lemoine.

"Okay, this is getting too weird," agreed journalist Charles R. Davis.

"Republicans having a totally normal one at Trumpalooza," progressive political commentator Josh Greene joked.

"This is the same jumbotron that shows Kyrie Irving highlight reels," lamented journalist Paul Blest, referring to the fact that Piker's underwear picture was being displayed on the American Airlines Center, the home of the Dallas Mavericks basketball team.

"RIP Freud, you would've loved American politics in 2026," wrote Washington Post reporter Jack Herrera.

Headquarters, a political news account on X, posted "Trump backstage" followed by a video of Trump saying, "Look at the size of this guy. Boy, oh, boy."

"This probably isn't the one they think it is, especially since Grindr crashed in Texas as the Republican convention kicked off," Democratic politician and healthcare advocate Melanie D'Arrigo noted. Headquarters pointed out that Grindr was reportedly down in Dallas during the convention.

Piker reacted to seeing the attack with laughter and disbelief, and he jokingly said, "Don't show this to the Barbaras and the Deborahs. Republicans, what are you doing?"