Responding to the White House using its imagery for the second time was probably not on Nintendo and The Pokémon Company’s schedule for Pokémon Pokopia‘s launch day, but we live in the stupidest, cruelest timeline, so here we are.
Earlier today, the White House posted an image made using a popular Pokopia font generator to write out “Make America Great Again,” because they’ve got no other ideas. Now, in a statement to The New York Times, The Pokémon Company has distanced itself from the post, which included several Pokémon in the image and said it is “not affiliated with any political viewpoint or agenda.”
“We are aware of recent social content that includes imagery associated with our brand,” spokeswoman Sravanthi Dev said in the statement. “We were not involved in its creation or distribution, and no permission was granted for the use of our intellectual property. Our mission is to bring the world together, and that mission is not affiliated with any political viewpoint or agenda.”
“Bringing the world together” sure doesn’t sound like the agenda of a political group that is kidnapping and deporting people. The Trump administration has been relying on video game iconography and memes to spread its hateful rhetoric, and this is the second time it’s used Pokémon to do so, following a viral video using the original anime’s theme song with footage of ICE agents arresting people. Halo, Stardew Valley, and Call of Duty have also been part of this ongoing meme war. Pop artist Sabrina Carpenter was also dragged into this, but she was much more straightforward in voicing her disdain.