- The Pokemon Company denied authorising a White House post using their imagery
- The post featured an AI graphic with "Make America Great Again" in Pokemon style
- Pokemon stressed their brand is not affiliated with any political agenda or viewpoint
The creators behind the Pokemon franchise have criticised the use of imagery linked to their brand in a recent social media post shared by The White House, saying the company had no involvement in the content.
The post, shared a few days ago on the official social media accounts of the White House, featured the “Make America Great Again” slogan associated with US President Donald Trump.
The image is an AI-generated graphic styled after Pokemon Pokopia, a life-simulation game released by Nintendo. The graphic features “Make America Great Again” written in Pokopia's colourful font.
Responding to the post, a spokesperson for The Pokemon Company International said the brand had not authorised the use of its imagery. “We are aware of recent social content that includes imagery associated with our brand,” a spokesperson for Pokemon Company International said in a statement to media outlets, reported The Independent.
“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.”
As per various reports, the company had issued a similar statement in September 2025 after the US Department of Homeland Security used the Pokemon theme song in a video showing US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents carrying out detentions.
The clip carried the caption “Gotta Catch ‘Em All,” borrowing the franchise's well-known slogan. Towards the end of the video, images of some detainees were presented on mock cards designed to resemble the trading cards used by Pokemon fans.
The video, meanwhile, remains available on the official social media account of the Department of Homeland Security.
The Donald Trump administration has increasingly used pop-culture-style messaging on social media while highlighting its actions during the Iran war
Actor and director Ben Stiller hit out at the White House after a clip from his film Tropic Thunder appeared in a pro-war social media montage. The video intercuts footage of recent strikes on Iran with scenes from several films, including Iron Man 2, Gladiator and Braveheart.
“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,” Stiller wrote on X.
When asked about the Pokemon-style post, White House spokesperson Anna Kelly told The Independent, “The legacy media wants us to apologise 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.”
