The White House has sparked a wave of controversy by publishing video materials promoting attacks on Iran, in which bombing footage is intercut with scenes from Hollywood productions and highlights from MLB and NFL games. Actor Ben Stiller has firmly demanded the removal of a scene from the film 'Tropic Thunder,' emphasizing that war is not a movie and that the administration did not obtain permission to use his work for propaganda purposes.

Ben Stiller's Protest

The actor demands the removal of a clip from the film 'Tropic Thunder' from the government video, opposing the use of his work for propaganda purposes.

Controversial Editing

The White House combined footage of attacks on Iran with NFL and MLB sports replays and scenes from Hollywood.

Criticism of 'Slopaganda'

Media and experts accuse the administration of trivializing war and employing low-quality social media aesthetics.

The White House administration has come under fire after publishing a series of video materials that commentators have dubbed 'slopaganda' or 'meme warfare.' The videos, intended to promote the effectiveness of U.S. military actions in Iran, employ an unusual editing aesthetic. Images of actual missile strikes and bombings have been juxtaposed with dynamic replays from American football (NFL) and baseball (MLB) games, as well as scenes from popular action movies. This approach to strategic communication has been deemed by many experts and artists as trivializing armed conflict and a sign of disrespect for the gravity of the geopolitical situation. The loudest protest came from actor and director Ben Stiller, whose film 'Tropic Thunder' was used unlawfully in one of the clips. Stiller publicly called on the White House to immediately remove the segment from his production, noting that the creators never consented to including their work in materials of a pro-war nature. The actor emphasized on social media that mixing film fiction with real suffering and warfare is unacceptable. Film critics, including Peter Bradshaw from 'The Guardian,' described the video as 'exceptionally nasty and malicious,' pointing to the moral ambiguity of using film characters to legitimize violence. The use of pop culture in political communication has a long history, dating back to recruitment posters from World War I, but the digital era of social media has shifted the boundaries towards the aesthetics of video games and memes. Analysts note that the White House's current strategy is based on an attempt to reach younger audiences through formats familiar from TikTok or Instagram. However, the choice of source material raises concerns not only of an aesthetic nature but also legal ones. Beyond Stiller, voices of outrage are coming from sports circles and media outlets that do not want their broadcasts to be associated with military operations. This situation raises questions about the limits of propaganda by the state in an age of widespread digitization and ease of editing audiovisual content. Despite mounting pressure, the administration has not yet issued an official statement regarding the removal of the disputed segments. „War is not a movie. We never gave you permission to use this clip.” — Ben Stiller

Mentioned People

  • Ben Stiller — American actor and director who protested the use of his film in the White House video.
  • Peter Bradshaw — Film critic for 'The Guardian' who harshly assessed the aesthetics and message of the White House materials.