Zoolander star Ben Stiller took to social media to voice his opinion against the White House, calling them out for using a video from his movie, Tropic Thunder, in a recent propaganda post. The comedy veteran has joined the long list of celebrities who have spoken against the Donald Trump administration for using pop culture references to supposedly gain a positive sentiment for their wartime policies.
Ben Stiller slams White House video
On March 5, the official social media account of the White House posted a compilation of clips from various movies and TV series, interspersed with snippets of missiles hitting their targets. Additionally, the update also featured a bold caption, “JUSTICE THE AMERICAN WAY,” followed by emojis of the American flag and fire.
The X (formerly Twitter) video also featured a brief clip from the Ben Stiller-led Tropic Thunder, where Tom Cruise’s character Les Grossman could be seen dancing. Having helmed, co-wrote, co-produced, and led the star-studded lineup of the 2008 comedy classic, Stiller expressed his displeasure with the White House for using a scene from his movie with a tweet of his own.
Reposting the said video on X on March 6, the 60-year-old actor and comedian noted, “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.”
In addition to Ben Stiller’s Tropic Thunder, the White House’s post also included snippets from other pop culture media such as Iron Man, Gladiator, Braveheart, Top Gun, Breaking Bad, its spin-off series Better Call Saul, Christopher Reeve-led Superman, Transformers, and Deadpool, among others.
Notably, several high-profile celebrities have protested against Donald Trump and the White House for using their content without gaining proper authorization in recent times, including Kesha, Kenny Loggins, Sabrina Carpenter, and more.
