By Basant El-Faramawy
The White House on Thursday released a video styled after The Legend of Zelda depicting President Donald Trump as a game character, days after Republicans lost control of both chambers of Congress in the midterm elections.
Video promotes policy achievements
The clip opens with a title screen reading “The Legend of Trump: Make America Great Again” and shows an animated Trump wearing a “Still Your President” cap. Captions claim the sharpest drop in prescription drug prices in over 60 years, a murder rate at a 125-year low, and zero illegal aliens released for 17 consecutive months. The video ends with Trump at the Resolute Desk signing papers under the message “President Trump is working tirelessly…TO MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!!”
Online backlash and copyright questions
Social media users mocked the video, with some urging Nintendo to pursue legal action. It was unclear whether the White House obtained permission to use the franchise. The Independent has contacted Nintendo for comment.
Pattern of pop culture appropriations
The White House has a history of repurposing copyrighted material for political messaging. In September it posted a similar Zelda-themed video. In August it parodied Game of Thrones and likened ICE agents to Spider-Man. In July it depicted Trump as James Bond. Other instances include Animal Crossing and Studio Ghibli styles. Some videos appear to be AI-generated, though the latest video’s origin remains unconfirmed.
