A White House propaganda video promoting “justice the American way” for Iran features actors from Australia, New Zealand, and Canada, including stars known for playing characters such as corrupt lawyers and freedom fighters. The 42-second video, posted Thursday on the White House’s official X account, has drawn widespread online criticism.
Hollywood Figures in White House Video
The video opens with a scene from Iron Man 2, featuring Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark. He says, “Wake up, Daddy’s home,” while activating a bank of computers.
Downey Jr. has publicly criticized former President Trump and campaigned for Kamala Harris during the 2024 presidential election. Following Downey Jr., the video features Russell Crowe (Gladiator), from New Zealand, and Mel Gibson (Braveheart), from Australia, though Gibson was born in New York before moving to Sydney as a child.
Both Gladiator and Braveheart center on smaller forces defying powerful empires. The video then includes a clip of Tom Cruise as Maverick from Top Gun.
Jimmy McGill, a lawyer with questionable ethics from Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, played by Bob Odenkirk, also appears. He delivers the line, “You can’t conceive of what I’m capable of.”
Keanu Reeves, a Canadian citizen born in Beirut, is featured saying, “I’m thinking I’m back!” from John Wick. Bryan Cranston, who played Walter White in Breaking Bad, says, “I AM the danger!”
Cranston has also been critical of Trump, previously describing him as a “Shakespearean serio-tragic-comedic character” and criticizing his “demagoguery” in a 2019 Tony Awards acceptance speech.
The video concludes with a succession of action heroes and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, ending with the declaration “flawless victory” from the Mortal Kombat series over the caption “The White House.”
The Trump administration has increasingly used provocative visuals in its messaging, mirroring the former president’s confrontational social media strategy. In January, the White House digitally altered a photograph of a woman arrested at an immigration protest to make her appear to be crying.
The administration has also utilized AI technology to create images, including one depicting Trump dumping feces on protesters. It remains unclear whether the White House obtained permission to use the clips featured in the latest video. Numerous artists and musicians have previously protested the White House’s use of their work without consent.
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