Former NFL Star Slams White House's 'Despicable' War Promotion Featuring His Highlights
Retired NFL player Ryan Clark expressed his disapproval of a recent White House video that combined footage of missile strikes in Iran with clips from football highlights, including his own. The video, which has drawn significant backlash, was intended to promote President Donald Trump’s military actions.
“There are families here in our country whose loved ones have decided to give their life to fight for our rights and our freedoms, who don’t see war as a sport,” Clark stated during an episode of his podcast “The Pivot.”
The controversy erupted after the White House shared the video on social media, which included not only military footage but also snippets from video games and popular films. Critics argue that this approach trivializes the seriousness of war.
Actor Ben Stiller joined the chorus of disapproval, particularly after discovering that a clip from his 2008 film “Tropic Thunder” was used without his consent. “Hey White House,” he tweeted. “Please remove the Tropic Thunder clip. We never gave you permission and have no interest in being a part of your propaganda machine. War is not a movie.”
Clark resonated with Stiller’s concerns, telling co-host Fred Taylor that the juxtaposition of “Tropic Thunder” and football highlights in a war context was profoundly insensitive. “War is not a comedy, and for these people to be risking their lives, not for our safety, as much as for someone else’s agenda,” he remarked.
He revealed that he learned about his highlight being featured in the video through reporters, mentioning that he distanced himself from the platform X due to its negativity. Pro Football Hall of Famer Ray Lewis also criticized the White House’s use of sports imagery to draw parallels between football and warfare. “The game I love is about discipline, brotherhood, and respect. War is something entirely different. Lives are at stake. God bless our troops and their families,” Lewis stated.
Clark further articulated his disappointment, stating, “For our regime to be as unserious, as unprofessional, as laughable and as illegitimate as our leadership is, right now is embarrassing.” He lamented the loss of decorum and character in U.S. leadership, labeling the video featuring him and other NFL players as “absolutely disgusting and despicable.”
“I’m not asking them, or I don’t care that they take it down. I don’t care how long it’s up. I don’t care that they didn’t ask me to do it,” Clark asserted. “What I’ve learned about our leadership now is they don’t care about what we think.”
He continued, “They don’t care about what we say. It’s about what one person wants, and anything different than the thing that they’re supporting is wrong and it’ll be attacked.”
