White House uses video games to promote Trump administration policies

The White House has launched a digital “Arcade” section on its website to promote the administration's policy agenda through retro-style video games. The initiative has drawn significant controversy regarding both intellectual property and content.

Following a public warning from The Tetris Company regarding copyright infringement, the White House removed “Build the Wall,” a game that used block-stacking mechanics similar to Tetris to simulate border wall construction. The Tetris Company stated it was not involved in the project and emphasized that its brand is intended to “connect people... not divide them.”

Other games remain active on the site, including “Rio Run,” a Snake-inspired game where players intercept migrants for deportation, and “Flappy Bill,” a clone of Flappy Bird featuring a bald eagle. The administration also released “The Legend of Trump: Make America Great Again,” a video parodying Nintendo’s The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. This video, which uses the franchise's iconic aesthetics and music, features a polygonal version of Donald Trump navigating the White House to sign executive documents. The use of Nintendo's intellectual property has prompted social media users to question the legality of the administration's promotional tactics.