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By Marni Rose McFall
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A social media post from the White House, which appears to celebrate the military strikes on Iran through a compilation of clips from popular action movies, has sparked widespread backlash online.
The clip has amassed millions of views online. MeidasTouch Editor-in-Chief Ron Filipkowski called it a “disgrace” in a post viewed 1.8 million times on X, and the author Alex Taylor said it was “One of the most disgusting things I’ve ever seen on here,” in a post viewed over 200,000 times.
White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said in a statement to Newsweek: “Under the decisive leadership of President Trump, America’s heroic warfighters are meeting or surpassing all of their goals under Operation Epic Fury. The legacy media wants us to apologize for highlighting the United States Military’s incredible success, but the White House will continue showcasing the many examples of Iran’s ballistic missiles, production facilities, and dreams of owning a nuclear weapon being destroyed in real time.”
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Joy Metzler, an Air Force veteran, told Newsweek that while she is unsure if this specific video sparks any concerns, "All in all, it's the latest in a chain of sleazy military recruiting tactics which manufacture consent for whatever war we're getting into next."
Why It Matters
As the conflict reaches its seventh day, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has warned that U.S. military operations against Iran are “about to surge dramatically.” Iran has launched retaliatory attacks throughout the region, leading to American military casualties. According to the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, an estimated 1,168 civilians have been killed so far.
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Public opinion in the United States remains sharply divided, much as it has been in past debates involving President Donald Trump and Iran. A Reuters/Ipsos poll released Sunday, the day after the war began, found that only one in four Americans supports the strikes, and roughly half of those surveyed believe Trump is too quick to resort to military force.
That divide is visible within Trump’s own political base, including among some of the most recognizable figures in the MAGA movement. Critics in those circles argue that the administration’s actions—and Trump’s broader foreign policy stance, particularly his backing of Israel—run counter to the “America First” promises he campaigned on.
As the war continues and tensions remain high, conversations surrounding the conflict are continually playing out online, with voices across the political spectrum voicing opposition.
What To Know
The clip features several actors in iconic roles from action franchises and television programs. This includes Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man*,* Tom Cruise in Top Gun and Tropic Thunder, Russell Crowe in Gladiator, Mel Gibson in Braveheart, Bob Odenkirk in Better Call Saul, Christopher Reeve as Superman*,* Keanu Reeves in John Wick, Bryan Cranston in Breaking Bad, and Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool. Characters from Transformers, Halo and Yu-Gi-Oh! also feature in the clip, as does Adam Driver as Star Wars villain Kylo Ren.
In between snippets of the films are clips of military strikes, and it ends with the phrase "Flawless Victory."
The clips focus on fighting and freedom. In the Braveheart clip, Gibson sees him state, “What would you do without freedom?” Odenkirk shouts, “You can’t conceive of what I’m capable of,” and Driver yells, “More," while attempting to kill Luke Skywalker.
The post has the caption: “JUSTICE THE AMERICAN WAY.”
There has been a significant majority of negative responses to the post, though it did receive some praise. The actor Kevin Sorbo, a vocal Trump supporter, wrote on X, “Give whoever did this a raise,” in a post viewed over 600,000 times.
It comes after Trump has faced widespread criticism for his response to the deaths of U.S. soldiers. Addressing the deaths of the first service members confirmed to have died in the conflict, he said, “As one nation, we grieve for the true American patriots who have made the ultimate sacrifice,” before going on to say, “Sadly, there will likely be more before it ends. That's the way it is.”
Democrats, including Texas Representative Joaquin Castro, who dubbed his comments “callous,” California Governor Gavin Newsom and Illinois Senator Tammy Duckworth, leveled criticism at the president in response.
What People Are Saying
Air Force veteran Joy Metzler told Newsweek: "Is the social media post inappropriate for recruiting into the military? Yes, absolutely. But is it especially concerning? I actually don't think the video does nearly as much for military recruiting as Hollywood—think big movies like Marvel, Top Gun, recent military films that have come out—does. I also find some of the movie clips chosen rather funny, as they chose clips not even vaguely related to the military as well as clips that don't actually reflect 'justice' the way the U.S. seems to be defining it these days. One of them is from Breaking Bad, for goodness' sake."
The social media account The Bitcoin Therapist, in a post on X that has been viewed over 2 million times: “My future children won’t believe me when I tell them The White House posted this.”
Jake Scott, an infectious diseases doctor and professor at Stanford, wrote in a post on X viewed over 30,000 times: “This is not a movie. This is not a video game. There is no 'flawless victory.' You bombed a school full of children.”
Tuomas Malinen, in a post on X viewed over 70,000 times: “This is the most degraded piece of s*** I have seen in my lifetime. It even beats all the ridiculous rubbish Soviet Union put out. I honestly cannot believe I championed for this clown.”
Peter Stefanovic, a lawyer, posted on X, viewed over 90,000 times: “They have completely lost their minds.”
What Happens Next
Trump has said that the U.S. military campaign in Iran could last for four or five weeks to achieve its aims, but has warned that it could "go far longer than that."
Hegseth, meanwhile, has said the conflict will not turn into a "forever war."
Update 03/09/25, 03:27 a.m. ET: This article has been updated with a statement from the White House.
Update 03/06/25, 11:33 a.m. ET: This article was updated with comment from Joy Metzler.
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