The White House social media team posted an AI-generated image on the official @WhiteHouse X account showing President Donald Trump as a character from the video game Destiny 2, sparking widespread backlash from the gaming community. The image, created with artificial intelligence, depicts a muscular Trump holding an American flag, with a power level of 4700—far exceeding the game's maximum—and equipment described as 'ripped suit sleeves' along with a B-2 bomber. The post was captioned 'Eyes Up, Guardians,' a direct quote from the game's iconic dialogue.
Timing of the Post Draws Ire
The meme went viral just hours after Bungie, the Sony-owned developer behind Destiny 2, announced mass layoffs and the cessation of further development for the game. Gamers were quick to express their anger, accusing the White House of insensitivity and tone-deafness. One user, @dankkepng, wrote: 'I’m so dead bro. we actually live in the worst timeline. This can’t be real.' Another, @samikatplays, stated: 'I am utterly disgusted. Any other day this would be cringe, but TODAY of ALL days? Minimum disrespectful as fuck.'
Outrage Spreads Across Social Media
The backlash was swift and widespread. User @mislead declared: 'after seeing this I no longer want to purchase @PlayStation games this has changed my view of the company @Sony.' Others mocked the image's inaccuracies, with @Ryan_Gilliam15 commenting: 'These incompetent fucking idiots can’t even get the gear slots right with their AI slop prompts.' Some users tied the layoffs to broader economic policies, as @vesseloftauceti wrote: 'your economy killed my game. go fuck yourselves.'
Criticism of Government and Sony
Several posts directed anger at both the Trump administration and Sony, the parent company of Bungie. @malikshelp called the government 'a fucking embarrassment,' while @oryxeleven compared the situation to corporate bailouts, stating: 'Ford, Chrysler, banks - all got government bail outs. Just sayin.' The controversy has amplified ongoing debates about the economic pressures facing the video game industry and the role of government in supporting or undermining it.
