US Actor Stiller: 'War is Not a Movie' - Ben Stiller slams White House for using Tropic Thunder in Iran conflict video
The White House has faced criticism after posting a video about the Iran conflict on X. The clip, titled Justice, the American way, mixed real footage with scenes from Hollywood films—including a moment from Ben Stiller's Tropic Thunder. The actor has now demanded its removal, calling the use of his work unauthorised and inappropriate.
The video, shared on the White House's official X account, intercut dramatic film scenes with actual military operations. Among the featured clips was a sequence from Tropic Thunder, the 2008 action-comedy Stiller wrote, directed, produced, and starred in. In response, he posted on X: We never gave you permission, and we have no interest in being part of your propaganda machine. War is not a movie.
This is not the first time the U.S. government has used copyrighted material without approval. Singer Sabrina Carpenter recently raised concerns over the unauthorised inclusion of her music in official content. While no exact count exists, reports suggest the practice has continued since at least 2020.
Stiller's objection highlights a recurring issue of intellectual property being repurposed by government channels. His film, a satire of Hollywood war movies, was never intended for political messaging. The White House has yet to respond to his request for the clip's removal.
The dispute places renewed focus on how official communications use creative works without consent. Stiller's public rejection of the video underscores the tension between government messaging and artists' rights. For now, the clip remains online, though further action from the filmmakers or legal representatives may follow.
Read also:
- American teenagers taking up farming roles previously filled by immigrants, a concept revisited from 1965's labor market shift.
- Weekly affairs in the German Federal Parliament (Bundestag)
- Landslide claims seven lives, injures six individuals while they work to restore a water channel in the northern region of Pakistan
- Escalating conflict in Sudan has prompted the United Nations to announce a critical gender crisis, highlighting the disproportionate impact of the ongoing violence on women and girls.
