Additional Coverage:
In a move that has sparked both criticism and defense, the White House has been publishing a series of videos on social media, blending real combat footage from the ongoing conflict in Iran with clips from movies and video games. These posts, often featuring playful captions and audio effects, have raised questions about the administration’s approach to communicating about wartime realities.
One video, shared on Thursday night, carried the caption “JUSTICE THE AMERICAN WAY,” accompanied by an American flag and fire emoji. It interwove scenes from superhero movies, anime, “Top Gun,” and “Braveheart” with electronic music, before transitioning to actual footage of strikes in Iran. The video concluded with a voiceover from the video game “Mortal Kombat,” declaring “flawless victory.”
Another post from Friday featured a clip from the video game “Grand Theft Auto,” with the familiar audio and caption: “Ah [expletive], here we go again.” This then cut to unclassified footage of a U.S. strike, with the word “wasted” – a reference to in-game kills – superimposed over the video after the strike. The caption outlined the Trump administration’s objectives for “Operation Epic Fury,” including “Destroy Iran’s missile arsenal,” “Destroy their navy,” and “Ensure they NEVER get a nuclear weapon,” concluding with “Locked in.”
These videos have drawn sharp criticism, particularly from those with military experience. Senator Tammy Duckworth, an Iraq war veteran who was injured in combat, condemned the White House’s approach.
“War is not a f—— video game. Six Americans are dead and thousands more are at needless risk because of your illegal, unjustified war.
And you’re calling this a flawless victory,” Duckworth posted on social media.
In response, White House spokesperson Anna Kelly defended the administration’s strategy, stating, “Under the decisive leadership of President Trump, America’s heroic warfighters are meeting or surpassing all of their goals under Operation Epic Fury.” Kelly added that the White House would continue to showcase the military’s successes, despite what she called the “legacy media’s” desire for an apology.
The release of these videos comes just ahead of President Donald Trump’s planned attendance at the dignified transfer of American service members killed in Kuwait during the Iran conflict. In a pre-recorded video posted on Sunday, Trump acknowledged that “sadly, there will likely be more before it ends” regarding American casualties, but vowed that “America will avenge their deaths and deliver the most punishing blow to the terrorists.”
Another video posted on Wednesday also mixed war video game footage, specifically from “Call of Duty,” with real footage of strikes in Iran, without clearly distinguishing between the two. Other posts included quick succession strikes with “kaboom, kablow” lyrics in the background, and a clip from “SpongeBob SquarePants” asking “do you want to see me do it again?”
before showing another strike. The caption for these videos declared: “Will not stop until the objectives are met.
Unrelenting. Unapologetic.”
This “hype video” strategy is not new for the Trump administration, which has previously utilized platforms like X and TikTok for various presidential initiatives, including immigration enforcement operations. In September 2025, the Department of Homeland Security faced scrutiny for posting videos of immigration enforcement activities set to the “Pokémon” theme song with the caption “Gotta Catch ‘Em All.” President Trump has also publicly praised TikTok, citing its popularity among young people and its role in his campaign.