Frustration erupted from the Pokémon Company on Friday as the White House employed Pokémon-inspired visuals in a recent social media post promoting the MAGA movement.
“We are aware of recent social content that includes imagery associated with our brand,” stated a spokesperson for Pokémon Company International. “We were not involved in its creation or distribution, and no permission was granted for the use of our intellectual property. Our mission is to bring the world together, and that mission is not affiliated with any political viewpoint or agenda.”
This isn’t the first time the company has raised concerns; previously, it objected to the Trump administration's use of its “gotta catch ‘em all!” slogan in a September post regarding immigration enforcement.
The contentious post, shared on Thursday via the White House X account, showcased President Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again” slogan against a backdrop reminiscent of the recently launched Pokémon Pokopia video game.
In response to inquiries about the post, White House spokesperson Anna Kelly remarked, “The legacy media wants us to apologize for highlighting the United States Military’s incredible success, but the White House will continue showcasing the many examples of Iran’s ballistic missiles, production facilities, and dreams of owning a nuclear weapon being destroyed in real time.” Notably, this statement did not reference Iran directly.
The White House also highlighted a past instance where Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign tapped into the excitement surrounding a different Pokémon video game to engage voters.
Criticism has mounted against the administration for its use of pop-culture references in social media posts, which have juxtaposed action movie footage and video game clips with scenes from the Iran war.
Actor Ben Stiller voiced his disapproval after discovering a clip from his war satire comedy, Tropic Thunder, featured in one such post. “Hey White House, 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,” he expressed on X.
Despite the backlash, the White House has stood by its posts. White House Communications Director Steven Cheung even took to X to mockingly commend a CNN segment that covered a Grand Theft Auto-themed post about the war. “Credit where credit is due,” he wrote on Friday. “Thank you to @CNN for covering all of our banger videos.”
As reported, the Trump administration has increasingly utilized memes and provocative imagery on its social media platforms to attract new hires and promote its deportation initiatives.
Experts have characterized these images—blending Hollywood-style depictions of immigration raids with tributes to America’s pioneering history and biblical verses—as fascist “propaganda.”
