Tetris Company denies authorizing White House arcade game imagery
The Tetris Company announced Friday that it had not granted permission for the White House to use imagery from its iconic block-stacking game in a controversial online arcade that the Trump administration launched on Thursday. The company, established in 1996 by game creator Alexey Pajitnov and entrepreneur Henk Rogers to manage worldwide licensing, said it is reviewing the matter and takes copyright infringement seriously.
"The Tetris Company was not involved in the creation of 'Build the Wall' and did not authorize or license the Tetris brand or intellectual property for the game," the company told Agence France-Presse in a statement. In a social media post, it added: "At Tetris, we believe in the power of connection and bringing people together, not dividing them."
The statement reflects the company's longstanding approach to protecting its intellectual property. Since the late 1990s, the Tetris Company has issued cease-and-desist letters to unauthorized clones and filed lawsuits against games deemed too similar to Tetris, including a 2009 case against Omgpop's Blockles.
Multiple companies implicated
The White House arcade, published on the official White House website under a new page called "arcade," features five retro-style games. Beyond "Build the Wall," which instructs players to "protect the border from the coming horde," the collection includes "Trump Savings Tycoon," where players collect money to fill Trump Accounts for children, and "Supply Line," which resembles the classic arcade game Tapper. Promotional content also featured animations parodying Xbox, PlayStation and Nintendo loading screens.
Images used in the arcade and promotional materials resemble trademarks and designs from several major gaming companies. Microsoft, which owns Xbox, did not respond to requests for comment. The Sega Corporation could not immediately be reached. In one promotional clip, the letters from the Sega logo transform into "MAGA," referencing President Trump's Make America Great Again slogan. Another game, "Flappy Bill," features a bald eagle carrying a document while navigating columns against a Washington DC backdrop.
The White House defended the initiative Thursday, stating that "this administration is laser focused on ways to innovate and tell the story of the President's many accomplishments in a way that resonates with every American."
Pattern of unauthorized content use
The controversy adds to a series of copyright disputes involving the Trump administration. Multiple artists, including Sabrina Carpenter, Olivia Rodrigo and Kesha, have objected to the unauthorized use of their music in White House social media videos. The estate of Isaac Hayes secured both a court injunction in September 2024 and a financial settlement in February 2026, making it the only such case to result in both outcomes.
Immigration enforcement context
The arcade's immigration-themed games sparked condemnation from rights groups. "Makes me sick. They've been playing games with people's lives for years, now they've made a video game of what they're doing," said Amerika Garcia Grewal, co-director of the Frontera Federation in Eagle Pass, Texas. "There's no attention paid to the quality of life for human beings, both those in their game or those in real life."
The criticism comes as the Trump administration has intensified immigration enforcement. According to Department of Homeland Security records, more than 605,000 undocumented immigrants have been deported since the administration returned to office in January 2025. NBC News tracking data shows that Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrests have doubled and detention numbers reached an all-time high, with nearly 69,000 people in ICE custody as of early January 2026.
The administration eliminated previous enforcement priorities that focused deportation resources on individuals with serious criminal convictions. Under current policy, virtually any undocumented individual can be targeted for removal regardless of community ties, length of residence or family situation. ICE also ended protections for sensitive locations such as schools, churches and hospitals.
Political timing
The White House appears to be using the arcade as part of efforts to promote Trump's second-term accomplishments ahead of the November 3 midterm elections. All 435 House seats and 35 Senate seats will be contested to determine control of the 120th United States Congress, which will convene in January 2027.
