The Pokémon Company Does Not Approve of the White House’s Memes

The White House is challenging Pokémon fans to a battle. On the release day of Pokopia, their highly anticipated new game, the White House tried to hop on a trend on X, where fans used the game’s font to write silly phrases or memes. They used the Pokopia font to write “Make America Great Again,” and quickly their replies were filled with criticism of the Trump administration. The Pokémon Company was also not pleased with the use of their IP. “We are aware of recent social content that includes imagery associated with our brand,” The Pokémon Company International said in a statement to Vulture. “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.” Last year, the Pokémon Company released a similar statement when the DHS posted a video of ICE arrests to the tune of the original Pokémon theme song.

No corner of entertainment is safe from the White House using its IP on its social media or campaigns. Musicians, such as Sabrina Carpenter and Jess Glynne, and artists, comedians, and their fans have objected to the Trump administration using their art to promote its agenda. Good thing Pokémon is no different.