The White House has released a series of “arcade” games resembling real games in order to promote the Trump administration’s policies. Some of the games drew backlash because of their racist content and their association with the MAGA agenda.
The copyright holders of Tetris objected to the game titled “Build the Wall” being modeled on the famous puzzle game. In the game, players stack shapes on top of one another to stop the “zombie border siege” at the southern border, while the “aliens” the administration uses to refer to noncitizens try to reach America before the gates close. Tetris spokesperson Kerri Brusca said the company was not involved in creating the game and was reviewing the matter. Sega, Nintendo, Xbox and Flappy Bird Foundation Group did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The administration had previously faced copyright infringement issues as well, and the Department of Homeland Security deleted some of its racist posts following DMCA takedown requests. The game “Rio Run” depicts a Border Patrol agent at the head of a snake collecting immigrants on the screen.
The games also highlight the administration’s policy problems and contradictions. “Build the Wall” is a reminder that Republicans in Texas also opposed plans to run a wall through protected lands, including Big Bend National Park. “Flappy Bill” has a bald eagle carry a bill, even as the administration rolled back protections under the Endangered Species Act that have helped protect the species. “Supply Line,” meanwhile, is about stopping processed foods from reaching schoolchildren. By contrast, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. withdrew vaccine recommendations and food safety regulations at HHS; the weakening of the FDA made the cyclosporiasis investigation more difficult.
Why it matters
This initiative shows that bringing public policy into an entertainment format is not limited to political messaging, but can also raise legal issues concerning copyright and trademark use. The Tetris company’s statement that it was not involved in developing the game raises the question of whether permission was obtained from the rights holders for similar productions; the fact that other companies have not yet responded leaves this area even more uncertain. While the themes in the games are used as a means of defending the administration’s approach to immigration, environmental, food safety, and health policies, some examples also make contradictions related to these policies visible. For this reason, the debate concerns not only the political messaging of the content, but also the limits of using humor and parody in public communication.
Background
White is not a new name in the FikirPilot archive: we published a news article mentioning this name in the last 90 days; that article was dated September 5, 2026.