Yu-Gi-Oh says White House used anime footage without permission after X video
Mar 11th 2026
A White House X post mixing pop culture clips drew objections from the official Yu-Gi-Oh account and other rights holders, who say their material was used without permission.
- The White House posted a March 5 video on X featuring clips from multiple franchises, including Yu-Gi-Oh, over the Mortal Kombat theme.
- Days after the video circulated, the official Yu-Gi-Oh account said the footage was used without authorization and that no one associated with the anime granted permission.
- Konami, the owner of Yu-Gi-Oh media rights, has not publicly said whether it will pursue legal action.
- Voice actor Steve Downes said he did not consent to the use of his voice in the video and does not endorse its message.
- The Pokemon Company also said its intellectual property was used without permission with a MAGA overlay and affirmed it is not affiliated with any political viewpoint.