When Missiles Wear a Hollywood Costume.. A Promotional Video from the White House Ignites a Storm of Controversy

SadaNews - A video published by the White House sparked widespread criticism after it combined scenes from American military strikes on Iran with clips from Hollywood movies and popular video games, in promotional material that many considered a trivialization of war and a transformation of it into entertainment.

Missiles in Hollywood Garb

The video was posted on the White House's account on the X platform, accompanied by the phrase: "Justice the American Way." (JUSTICE THE AMERICAN WAY).

Its duration is about 42 seconds, blending real footage of American bombing operations targeting sites inside Iran along with famous clips from movies, series, and video games, including films like "Gladiator," "Top Gun: Maverick," "Transformers," "Braveheart," "Iron Man," and "Star Wars," as well as series like "Breaking Bad" and "Better Call Saul."

It also included clips from popular video games "Halo" and "Mortal Kombat," ending with a voice announcing the phrase "Flawless Victory," referencing the latter game.

The video also featured U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth for a few seconds before he later reposted it on his accounts, contributing to the video's broader reach.

Social Platforms Erupt

The video quickly sparked a wave of ridicule and criticism, with some X platform users pointing out that the White House did not hesitate to violate copyright by using clips from cinematic works without permission.

Journalists and commentators criticized the promotional style of the video, with liberal critics considering that the administration treats a serious war as if it were a video game, targeting a younger audience at the expense of the seriousness of the issue.

Neera Tanden, a former official in the Biden administration, stated that what the current Trump administration is doing "establishes an image of its officials as actors playing roles, not as real leaders," criticizing the transformation of war into ridiculous promotional scenes.

Ben Stiller: War is Not a Movie

Among the notable reactions was a protest from American actor Ben Stiller, who demanded the White House remove a clip from the movie "Tropic Thunder" used in the video.

Stiller wrote on the X platform: "Hello White House, please remove the Tropic Thunder clip. We did not give you permission to use it, and we do not want to be part of your propaganda machine. War is not a movie."

A Second Wave of Propaganda

The controversy did not stop there, as the White House later published other promotional clips that used footage from the game "Grand Theft Auto," alongside scenes from American baseball league games, where player strikes were likened to missile strikes, describing the scenes as "pure American dominance."

Kylean Dorr, Deputy Communications Director at the White House, wrote a controversial comment stating: "Wake up, Dad is home," referring to a title that NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte had previously given to Trump.

Objection from Within the Conservative Camp

Notably, criticism was not limited to the liberal camp, as some conservatives saw that this type of promotional video distracts attention from essential issues on which Trump was elected for 2024.

Ryan Newhouse, a former office manager at the Heritage Foundation, wrote: "These promotional clips are ridiculous. What we want is the implementation of mass deportation promises, passing the legislative agenda you committed to, and not engaging in new wars."

When Politics Hijacks Pop Culture

This controversy reignited the debate about the use of pop culture in political propaganda, especially when it comes to wars or international crises.

Critics argue that blending real combat scenes with footage from action movies and video games turns war into a context-stripped entertainment show, while others defend this style as part of the contemporary digital media language.

But for many, Ben Stiller's message encapsulated the essence of the objection: "War is not a movie."

Source: American Press + Social Media Sites