Hollywood star opposes White House war propaganda video
Hollywood star and filmmaker Ben Stiller has publicly criticised the White House for featuring a clip from his satirical movie Tropic Thunder in a controversial pro military social media montage amid the ongoing US Iran conflict.
The video posted on the official White House X (formerly Twitter) account mixes real footage of recent US and allied military strikes on Iran with scenes from major Hollywood films and video games, including Gladiator, Top Gun: Maverick, Iron Man, Deadpool, Breaking Bad and a brief shot of Tom Cruise’s character from Tropic Thunder. The clip was shared under the slogan “JUSTICE THE AMERICAN WAY.”
Stiller, who wrote, directed and starred in the 2008 war satire, took to X on March 6 to demand the clip’s removal, emphasising that neither he nor the film’s creators had authorised its use.
“Hey White House, please remove the Tropic Thunder clip. We never gave you permission and have no interest in being a part of your propaganda machine. War is not a movie,” he wrote.
Hey White House, please remove the Tropic Thunder clip. We never gave you permission and have no interest in being a part of your propaganda machine. War is not a movie. https://t.co/dMQqRxxVCa
— Ben Stiller (@BenStiller) March 6, 2026
The actor’s reaction highlights concerns that the montage trivialises serious military action by blending it with scenes from pop culture, turning real world conflict into dramatic imagery more suited to entertainment than sober discussion.
This controversy comes amid heightened tensions in the Middle East following coordinated strikes by the United States and Israel on Iranian targets, which have triggered retaliatory drone and missile attacks across the region, affecting flight routes, energy markets and regional stability.
Stiller is the latest public figure to push back against the use of artistic material in politically charged government messaging, as debates grow over how war and geopolitics are presented and communicated to the public.