The White House misused Pokopia visual AI for image generation! Nintendo strongly condemns this and has sued the United States over illegal tariffs.

The White House is suspected of using AI to plagiarize Pokémon-style artwork and has been condemned. Additionally, due to disruptions caused by illegal tariffs, Nintendo has sued the U.S. government, demanding the return of $166 billion in taxes and delaying pre-orders for Switch 2.

White House suspected of using Pokopia visuals; Pokémon Company responds

The official U.S. White House social media account recently posted a meme with the slogan “Make America Great Again (MAGA),” but it was quickly questioned by netizens as an AI-generated image. The font and overall visual style closely resemble the cover of Nintendo’s new Pokémon game, “Pokémon Pokopia,” which features Pikachu.

In response, Sravanthi Dev, a spokesperson for Pokémon International, sternly condemned, stating that the company did not participate in the creation or release of the White House content, nor did it authorize the White House to use its intellectual property. Pokémon’s mission is to unite the world, and this mission is unrelated to any political views or agendas. The company has not disclosed whether it will pursue legal action for infringement.

Meanwhile, the image has also become a meme for netizens’ parody, with comments under the White House post modifying the words to: “Trump is a pedophile,” “Releasing all Epstein files,” and “Nintendo’s lawyers will love this,” among others.

Image source: X White House suspected of using Pokopia visuals; Pokémon Company responds

White House refuses to remove image amid Nintendo’s condemnation, claims political bias

In response to Pokémon’s condemnation, the White House did not remove the image but instead accused the company of political bias.

White House spokesperson Kaelan Dorr shared a screenshot of a Wall Street Journal article from 10 years ago, which mentioned that in the 2016 Democratic presidential primary, Hillary Clinton called on supporters to vote via Pokémon Go, prompting questions about why Pokémon Company did not respond at the time.

Another White House spokesperson, Abigail Jackson, defended the social media strategy, stating that engaging posts and memes help the government successfully communicate the president’s popular agenda.

Image source: X White House refuses to remove image amid Nintendo’s condemnation, claims political bias

White House has repeatedly faced AI image and copyright controversy

The U.S. White House has repeatedly caused controversy over the use of AI-generated images and unauthorized content. According to NBC News, in March this year, the White House released an AI-generated image depicting a woman in handcuffs being deported, styled similarly to Studio Ghibli’s animation, which sparked widespread discussion on social media.

Last September, the Department of Homeland Security released a video of the arrest of former Venezuelan President Maduro, which included unauthorized clips from Pokémon animations and theme songs. Pokémon Company issued a similar warning at the time. The White House also mixed real missile attack footage from Iran’s war with clips from the popular shooting game “Call of Duty.”

Comedians like Theo Von and other creators have publicly complained that the U.S. government used their works in official promotional videos without permission.

Nintendo sues U.S. government; Switch 2 pre-orders delayed due to tariffs

In addition to copyright disputes, Nintendo has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. government in the U.S. International Trade Court, demanding the return of illegal tariffs plus interest.

Last month, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that former President Trump’s use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to impose tariffs was unconstitutional. Prior to that, U.S. Customs and Border Protection collected approximately $166 billion in taxes and deposits under the emergency tariff policy.

The tariffs severely disrupted Nintendo’s business plans. Gaming media outlet IGN noted that Nintendo, assessing the impact of tariffs and market changes, was forced to delay the U.S. pre-order launch of Switch 2 originally scheduled for April 9, 2025.

To maintain the new console’s price at $449.99 in an environment with a 54% import tax, Nintendo must heavily rely on importing Switch 2 units from Vietnam.

Regarding the lawsuit, Nintendo issued a statement to the media: “We can confirm that a lawsuit has been filed. However, we have no further information to disclose at this time.”

Further reading:
New tariffs after ruling unconstitutional! Trump introduces 5-6 national security taxes on industries including semiconductors and pharmaceuticals for investigation

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