Ben Stiller Fires Back at Trump’s White House Over ‘Tropic Thunder’ Clip: ‘War Is Not a Movie’

Ben Stiller is speaking out against the Trump’s White House after a recent social media post used a clip from his 2008 film “Tropic Thunder” without permission. The post included a montage of movies, including “Braveheart,” “Top Gun,” “Superman,” “Transformers,” “Iron Man 2,” and “Star Wars: The Last Jedi,” alongside the tagline “Justice the American way.”

Stiller, who played Tugg Speedman in the satirical comedy, responded on X, saying, “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. War is not a movie.”

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. War is not a movie. https://t.co/dMQqRxxVCa

— Ben Stiller (@BenStiller) March 6, 2026

This is not the first time the Trump’s White House has used music or film clips on social media to support its messaging. Last year, the administration used Sabrina Carpenter’s song “Juno” in a post about ICE raids. Taylor Swift’s song “The Fate of Ophelia” was also featured in a video praising the president, despite her being frequently criticized by Trump on social media. Swift did not publicly respond to the use of her music.

Songwriter Kenny Loggins, known for the iconic “Top Gun” track “Danger Zone,” also criticized the White House last October. A video showed Trump flying over No Kings protestors while the song played. Loggins said, “This is an unauthorized use of my performance of ‘Danger Zone.’ Nobody asked me for my permission, which I would have denied, and I request that my recording on this video is removed immediately.”

Stiller’s statement highlights growing concerns from artists over the use of creative work in political messaging without consent.

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