The White House decided that in order to prove that it cares about farmers, it would post more AI slop utilizing unauthorized graphics from a video game, this time Animal Crossing. This is even though President Donald Trump's policies since taking office for his second term have hurt farmers significantly.
White House leans on game aesthetics despite criticism
On Friday, March 27, the White House hosted more than 800 farmers for an event with Trump, where he claimed, "I just gave you $12 billion. I don’t know if you know that or not," referencing the USDA’s Farmer Bridge Assistance Program. Not long after, the official White House X account posted yet another AI-generated video.
This one was of Trump as an Animal Crossing character jumping up from a chair, declaring, "Make Farming Great Again!" The cartoon figure of Trump rushed outside, waking up several animals to cheer along. The clip ended with a logo resembling the franchise’s branding, paired with the text, "National Agriculture Week – Thank You, Farmers!"
Shortly after, the account shared a still image. It showed a Trump-like Animal Crossing-style avatar standing among recognizable Animal Crossing characters. The image appeared edited from official promotional art, with added elements like a farm backdrop and the repeated slogan from the video, "Make Farming Great Again."
This isn't a new approach for the White House account, which has put out unauthorized promotional videos and AI-generated imagery featuring a wide number of video game franchises, including Stardew Valley, Pokémon, and Halo.
Meanwhile, companies connected to some of those franchises distanced themselves. A spokesperson for The Pokémon Company told The New York Times, "We were not involved in [the tweet's] creation or distribution, and no permission was granted.” The statement added that the brand’s mission "is not affiliated with any political viewpoint or agenda."
Fans and critics questioned Nintendo’s silence
The reactions online from video game players were upset that the cozy gaming imagery had been usurped by the AI slop put out by the White House. Supporters of the administration, meanwhile, celebrated the post. The @MAGAVoice account wrote, "HOLY [expletive] Trump’s White House just posted an Animal Crossing-style video supporting farmers. THIS IS EPIC."
However, many others directed their frustration at Nintendo. They questioned whether the company had approved the use of its intellectual property, even if they didn't actually believe it to be true.
@scottjohnson tweeted, "Come on, Nintendo. You go after some kid in Buffalo for downloading Kid Icarus, but you’ll let this slop slide?"
Others went further. @ariadotwav wrote, "hi @nintendo @NintendoAmerica i am a bit confused by this post… I thought Animal Crossing was a franchise for everyone...?" Similarly, @nanobuds47 asked, "Is this new DLC? Does this mean Nintendo supports pedophiles?"
In addition, several users said the post changed how they viewed the brand. @BollKram97874 requested clarification about whether the use was authorized. @Network_Synth added, "I don't think I'm going to be buying Nintendo products anymore if this is the case."
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