Every Anime Donald Trump’s Administration Has Used, Ranked by How Funny They Are

How did the U.S. government messaging go from immigration enforcement to Pokémon, and from military strikes to Dragon Ball? Somehow, Donald Trump’s administration has turned anime into an unexpected part of its social-media playbook. In fact, the usage also triggered the Japanese government to step in and warn the U.S. government to refrain from using anime imagery in its videos, stating it as a clear violation of copyright infringement.

Nevertheless, this ranking looks beyond popularity to judge the funniest collision between anime culture and American political messaging, and why some examples are far more absurd than others.

7 Fighbird Was Used in a Military-Themed Anime Edit by the White House

The deepest anime cut belongs to The Brave Fighter of Sun Fighbird, whose imagery appeared in the White House’s June 13 video (via @WhiteHouse/X). The 1991 anime is best known online for the “Is This a Pigeon?” meme, in which its protagonist mistakes a butterfly for a pigeon.

If you already know the meme, seeing Fighbird wander into the White House is surreal. If you do not, it is simply a very obscure robot anime cameo. That lack of instant recognition keeps it at number 7.

6 The White House Used My Hero Academia in a War-Themed Video

My Hero Academia also appeared in the White House’s June 13 “MISSION ACCOMPLISHED” video (via @WhiteHouse/X), which combined anime and other pop-culture references with political messaging. My Hero Academia alongside Dragon Ball Z, Yu-Gi-Oh! and The Brave Fighter of Sun Fighbird appeared in that video.

The contrast is obvious: My Hero Academia is built around young heroes learning responsibility, teamwork and what it means to use power properly. Watching its imagery appear inside a presidential victory montage is therefore strange. Still, compared with Pokémon or Trump becoming Naruto, this one feels forced, and that’s why it ranks sixth.

5 Cowboy Bebop’s Iconic “Tank!” Theme Powered a War Montage

The White House took the chaos several levels higher on June 13, 2026, using Cowboy Bebop’s unmistakable opening theme, “Tank!”, in a “MISSION ACCOMPLISHED” video (via @WhiteHouse/X). The same edit also included clips and references from several anime franchises.

There is something uniquely hilarious about hearing Yoko Kanno’s jazz-driven opening over political victory messaging. The mismatch between Cowboy Bebop and Trump is fantastic, but it ranks fifth because the song actually makes the montage look cool for a few seconds.

4 Dragon Ball Z and Super Were Used in a Military-Strike Montage

Dragon Ball fits military spectacle almost suspiciously well. The White House’s March 6 montage mixed real footage of strikes with clips and jokes from Dragon Ball Z (via @WhiteHouse/X) titled “JUSTICE THE AMERICAN WAY,” which is a famous Superman catchphrase.

That makes the pairing bizarrely effective and bizarrely funny at the same time. What’s funnier is that the video used clips from Iron Man, Transformers, John Wick, Tron: Legacy, among others. It ranks fourth because the Dragon Ball imagery was brief amongst a sea of Hollywood flick clips.

3 The White House Edited Military Footage With Yu-Gi-Oh! Clips

In the same “JUSTICE THE AMERICAN WAY” video on March 6, 2026, the White House posted a 42-second montage combining military footage with pop-culture clips, including Yu-Gi-Oh! (via X). Yugi Mutou appears briefly before the video returns to footage of military action. The Yu-Gi-Oh! team later said the anime footage was used without authorization (via X).

The comedy is in the whiplash. One moment it is U.S. military footage; the next, Yugi is essentially being recruited into the most unexpected Shadow Realm of all: government war messaging. It narrowly beats Dragon Ball because the contrast is even stranger.

2 Trump Turned Himself Into Naruto in an AI-Generated Political Video

Trump’s personal anime moment arrived on June 6, 2026, when he shared an AI-generated video depicting himself as Naruto (via Truth Social). The clip showed an anime-styled Trump performing Naruto-like imagery, rather than using actual footage from a government campaign.

It ranks this high because the image is almost too perfect for the internet: the President of the United States suddenly cosplaying as one of anime’s most famous ninjas through AI. It loses the top spot only because Pokémon being used for deportation messaging is somehow even more absurd.

1 DHS Used Pokémon Imagery and Its Theme Song in an Immigration Video

DHS really went there. In September 2025, its official X account posted immigration-enforcement footage set to the Pokémon theme, complete with Ash Ketchum imagery and “Gotta Catch ’Em All” (via @DHSgov/X). It even created fake Pokémon-style cards for people it said had been arrested or deported. The White House’s March 5 post specifically recreated Pokémon Pokopia artwork (via @WhiteHouse/X). The Pokémon Company said it had not authorized the use.

The joke practically writes itself: a beloved adventure about catching colorful creatures became the soundtrack for immigration enforcement. It is so bizarrely literal that it earns the top spot.

Which anime-political crossover was the funniest to you? Comment below!