CNN’s Jake Tapper Blasts Bonkers Trump War Videos Hyping Villains, Treating War ‘Like a Game’

CNN anchor Jake Tapper hammered President Donald Trump’s White House for posting bonkers war hype videos mixing Hollywood and video game clips with actual war footage — and celebrating villains.

The president’s team has already taken criticism for their exuberant celebrations of Trump’s war with Iran, including a video that mixed footage from the video game “Call of Duty” with actual war video and another that smash-cut between over a dozen film and television clips, along with real bombing footage.

On Friday’s edition of CNN’s The Lead, Tapper ripped the videos and pointed out the villains being cheered, asking “Does the White House even care who the good guys and bad guys are these days?”:

JAKE TAPPER: Well, the last day or so, the White House has been in at least one way treating going to war like a game, frivolously releasing what we will charitably call hype videos about their war. Here’s the latest video from the White House released just a few hours ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Shit, here we go again. Oh, shit, here we go again.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TAPPER: Are you not amused? That’s one of the Grand Theft Auto video games placed in between footages of U.S. strikes. In a video posted on Wednesday, the White House used a clip from Call of Duty video game along with more bombing footage.

White House communications director Steven Cheung responded to the criticism over this bonkers video. Writing on X or Twitter, quote, W’s in the chat, boys. For those of you unfamiliar, that’s gamer slang for celebrating a win. A W.

Now, the White House followed that up last night with a video putting together clips from Hollywood movies and TV shows such as “Iron Man,” Star Wars,” “Breaking Bad,” “Better Call Saul,”

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TONY STARK: Wake up, Daddy’s home!

JARVIS: Welcome home, sir.

RUSSELL CROWE AS MAXIMUS IN GLADIATOR: Strength and honor.

MEL GIBSON IN BRAVEHEART: What will you do without freedom?

TOM CRUISE IN TOP GUN: Maverick’s inbound!

(ACTUAL BOMB FOOTAGE)

BOB ODENKIRK IN BETTER CALL SAUL: You can’t conceive of what I’m capable of!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TAPPER: It is perhaps worth noting that many of the folks, the characters the White House is lionizing in those clips are actually bad guys, those works of fiction.

Walter White from “Breaking Bad.” He’s a sick drug dealer who, spoiler alert, poisoned a child and killed innocent people. Saul Goodman from “Better Call Saul,” twisted criminal enabler who blows up his entire life and gets at least one innocent person killed. Kylo Ren from the “Star Wars” movies. He embraced the dark side, guys. Spoiler alert. He killed his dad. The beloved character Han Solo.

Does the White House even care who the good guys and bad guys are these days?

Moments ago, actor Ben Stiller posted this on X. Hey, White House, please remove the “Tropic Thunder” clip. We never gave you permission and have no interest in being a part of your propaganda machine.

As one veteran put it on X about this attitude, quote, sorry to be Debbie Downer. War isn’t a video game. The consequences of war are final.

Watch above via CNN’s The Lead.

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