The White House recently stirred controversy by featuring "Wii Sports"-style visuals in a propaganda video related to the Iran war. This incident comes just a week after the administration faced public backlash for using Pokémon game imagery without authorization, once again fueling debate over the government's unauthorized use of intellectual property from the entertainment industry.
Previously, the White House had posted a modified image on social media, emblazoned with "Make America Great Again," which drew from the newly released game "Pokémon Pokopia." The game is published by Nintendo, which co-owns The Pokémon Company with Game Freak and Creatures. In response, The Pokémon Company swiftly issued a statement, emphasizing that the content was unauthorized.
The Pokémon Company stated: "We were not involved in the creation or distribution of this image, nor have we authorized anyone to use our intellectual property. Our mission is to bring the world closer together, and this mission is not affiliated with any political stance or agenda."
In fact, this isn't the first time the Pokémon brand has been appropriated by a government entity. In September 2026, The Pokémon Company publicly clarified that the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) had used Pokémon-related elements and the anime theme song in a video promoting deportation operations, also without authorization.
Beyond game companies, several musicians have also voiced their displeasure over the government's use of their work. Singer Kesha recently criticized the White House for using her song "Blow" in a video, calling the act unacceptable. Singer Sabrina Carpenter also took to social media to blast the government for using her song "Juno," stating: "The video is evil and disgusting, and do not use me or my music in your inhumane political agenda." Her post garnered nearly two million likes online.
