U.S. President Donald Trump (C) oversees “Operation Epic Fury” with (L-R) Central Intelligence Company Director John Ratcliffe, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and White Home Chief of Employees Susie Wiles at Mar-a-Lago on February 28, 2026 in Palm Seashore, Florida.
White Home by way of Getty Pictures/Getty Pictures North America
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White Home by way of Getty Pictures/Getty Pictures North America
Propaganda is produced by all sides in warfare. However the photos and slogans roaring throughout social media on this first month of the warfare in Iran could also be one thing new.
The Trump White Home has posted movies on-line that weave actual photos of missile strikes and destruction with clips from video video games, sports activities, and motion motion pictures.
A White Home publish to social media reveals actual air strikes in Iran accompanied by the soundtrack and snippets from the Name of Obligation online game. One other splices actual fight movies between house runs and slam dunks from Wii Sports activities. Others present explosion footage, accompanied by clips poached from Prime Gun, SpongeBob, Braveheart, and the collection Breaking Unhealthy, the place a personality shouts, “I AM the hazard!”
In the meantime, Iranian state media places out Lego-style warfare animations: minifigure variations of President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu, plotting; Iranian commanders mashing launch buttons; troopers and civilians operating from fiery wreckage in animated variations of Israel, Dubai and Saudi Arabia.
Chicago’s Cardinal Blaise Cupich issued an announcement after seeing White Home movies, saying “An actual warfare with actual loss of life and actual struggling being handled prefer it’s a online game — it is sickening.” He warned that movies like these could make us “hooked on the ‘spectacle’ of explosions” and put our very humanity in danger.
“The legacy media desires us to apologize for highlighting the USA Navy’s unimaginable success,” White Home spokesperson Anna Kelly advised a briefing, “however the White Home will proceed showcasing the numerous examples of Iran’s ballistic missiles, manufacturing services, and desires of proudly owning a nuclear weapon being destroyed in actual time.”
However John Vick, who’s govt director of Involved Veterans for America, stated in an announcement that whereas the success of the U.S. army needs to be saluted, “gamifying or making gentle of warfare additionally undermines the sacrifice of the People who’ve died…”
I’ve lined many U.S. troopers and fliers in fight. I’ve heard them swear — a lot— and exult about succeeding of their missions and surviving. However I’ve by no means — and I repeat by no means — heard a soldier or pilot rejoice over the loss of life of an enemy soldier or civilian. They know warfare too properly to see it as a recreation.