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White House Twitter account faceplants with awful Zelda AI slop that missed the midterms by two days
The White House posted an AI-generated video of Donald Trump styled after The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, apparently to coincide with the game’s remaster. The post drew criticism for appearing shortly after Republicans’ heavy midterm defeat, with the article arguing it felt like an awkward attempt at self-endorsement.
The video shows Trump in a corridor heading towards the Deku Tree while listing claimed achievements, and gives him a hat reading “Still your President”. It uses an AI-altered version of the original game’s visuals rather than showing the remaster’s updated graphics. The article compares the timing and effect of the post to Hillary Clinton’s “Pokémon Go to the polls” remark.
In short
- White House shares an AI Zelda-themed video featuring Trump.
- The post followed a heavy Republican midterm defeat.
- The video uses altered old visuals, not the remaster’s graphics.
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The case for
The post could be seen as a playful way for the White House to engage with a popular game and present the president’s claimed achievements in a format likely to attract attention. Political communication often uses humour and cultural references, and the timing may have been intended to coincide with the game rather than to respond to the midterm results.
The case against
Coming so soon after a major midterm defeat, the video could reasonably look tone-deaf and self-congratulatory, especially with its “Still your President” message. Using altered visuals from the older game rather than the remaster may also make the effort seem poorly judged, reinforcing the impression of an awkward attempt to claim relevance.