Why Pokemon Is Pushing Back Against the White House

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Pokémon is at odds with the White House for the second time in months.

This week, after the release of the new Pokémon game, Pokémon Pokopia, the White House shared a picture online. The image used the game’s distinctive font to display the phrase “make america great again,” mimicking popular fan posts that playfully use the font to create funny sayings. The background of the picture is taken directly from the game and features well-known Pokémon characters like Pikachu and Magikarp.

MAGA 🇺🇸⚡️

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) March 5, 2026

The post caught the attention of The Pokémon Company International, who are currently celebrating 30 years of Pokémon.

A company spokesperson, Sravanthi Dev, stated that they’ve seen recent online content using images connected to their brand. They confirmed they didn’t create or share this content, and didn’t give anyone permission to use their images. The company’s goal is to connect people globally, and they remain neutral on political issues.

TIME has reached out to Pokémon Company International and the White House for comment.

This is the second time Pokémon has had to publicly state it doesn’t support the Trump Administration using its characters and slogans. Last September, the Department of Homeland Security released a recruitment video for Immigration and Customs Enforcement that featured Pokémon’s famous tagline, “Gotta catch ‘em all,” along with scenes from the Pokémon anime. The video also showed Border Patrol and ICE agents making arrests.

Border Patrol’s newest recruit.

— CBP (@CBP) September 23, 2025

Also on that day, Customs and Border Protection announced their newest Border Patrol recruit with a GIF of Detective Pikachu.

Pokémon Company International has stated they were surprised to see a recent Department of Homeland Security video featuring Pokémon imagery and language. They confirmed they didn’t create the video, weren’t involved in its release, and did not authorize the use of their Pokémon characters or branding.

People have become increasingly frustrated with the Department of Homeland Security and other government agencies due to the strict immigration policies enforced under the Trump Administration. Kristi Noem, who faced criticism for how her department managed immigration enforcement, was relieved of her duties as Homeland Security Secretary on Thursday.

The Trump Administration borrowed imagery and themes from popular video games like Minecraft, Halo, Stardew Valley, and Call of Duty to promote its positions on issues such as immigration and foreign policy. The companies behind these games haven’t made any public statements about the White House using their content.

For years, Donald Trump has tried to appeal to gamers, hoping to win over young male voters. However, similar to musicians who’ve objected to the administration using their songs, there’s been criticism from both video game fans and developers about the White House using gaming-related memes and references to promote its agenda.

I’ve seen a lot of fans asking why Pokémon hasn’t sued the Trump Administration for using their characters in political ads. It’s a really valid question! But so far, it doesn’t look like they’re planning any legal action, which is a bit disappointing to see.

In July, the White House responded to criticism of its social media use by posting on X (formerly Twitter) that the Constitution doesn’t prevent them from sharing popular memes.

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2026-03-06 13:06