For the thousands of military service members and Department of Defense civilians who logged onto MyPay (http://mypay.dfas.mil/) this morning to check their pay stubs or adjust their withholdings, something was noticeably different. The familiar login screen, which traditionally featured the silhouette of a male soldier on the CAC/PIV card login button, had been quietly replaced. In its place, unmistakable and unignorable, was the profile of President Donald Trump.
Here is a screen grab of the unmistakable profile of the 45th and 47th president.
For comparison, just a few weeks ago, this was the icon used on all military sites requiring CAC login:
Just over a month into his second term, Trump has wasted no time imprinting his presence across the institutions of government. But this latest change—his own likeness appearing on the login screen of the Defense Finance and Accounting Service’s (DFAS) payroll portal—raises both symbolic and practical concerns. Was this a routine update, a deliberate display of dominance, or a message to those who serve under his command?
The MyPay system is a critical hub for the financial well-being of America’s military personnel, providing them with access to pay records, tax documents, and direct deposit adjustments. The change in the login icon was not accompanied by any announcement, leaving users stunned and suspicious. “Logged into MyPay this morning and nearly choked on my coffee. Why is Trump’s face staring back at me?” one service member posted on X (formerly Twitter). Another user, a retired officer, added: “This is not normal. The president’s face should not be here.”
This alteration comes on the heels of Trump’s recent post on Truth Social depicting himself as a king, draped in regal attire. The imagery was widely seen as a brazen assertion of his authority, and now, his presence on a routine military payroll login screen seems to echo that sentiment.
The sudden change also raises broader concerns about how far Trump intends to extend his influence into the day-to-day operations of government agencies. If an icon on a login screen can be altered without explanation, what other changes might be quietly taking place within the Pentagon’s digital infrastructure? And perhaps more importantly, why Trump? Government websites and portals have historically avoided personal imagery of sitting presidents to maintain neutrality and professionalism.
The Department of Defense has yet to issue a statement on the matter, but the implications are clear. The presence of Trump’s face on MyPay is more than a design choice—it’s a signal. Whether it is meant to inspire, intimidate, or merely remind, the message is undeniable: Trump is in charge, and his shadow now extends into even the most mundane corners of American military life.
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