A video shared by the White House celebrating US military strikes on Iranian targets has triggered widespread criticism online after it used dramatic scenes from Hollywood films and video games to depict the operation.

Posted on the official White House account on X (formerly Twitter), on Thursday night, the 42-second montage blended footage of US military actions with clips from several popular movies and entertainment franchises. The post was captioned, “JUSTICE THE AMERICAN WAY,” and has since drawn millions of views and strong reactions across social media.

Hollywood scenes mixed with military footage

The video intersperses visuals of the US strikes with sequences from well-known films, including Gladiator and Top Gun: Maverick. It also featured clips from Transformers, Braveheart, Iron Man, Star Wars, and scenes referencing television shows such as Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. Elements from video games, including Halo and Mortal Kombat, were also included.

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The montage concluded with a voiceover declaring a “flawless victory,” a phrase widely associated with gaming culture.

Watch the video here:

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth appeared briefly in the clip, which was later amplified by him on social media. The video quickly spread online, crossing more than 16.5 million views within hours of being posted.

Social media reactions range from praise to criticism

The post sparked a wave of responses from users online. Some comments questioned the tone and intent of the video, while others focused on its use of copyrighted material from major film franchises.

One user joked, “White House trying to get every copy right [sic] strike known to man.”

Another commenter wrote that it would be surprising if the government had secured rights to use footage from films such as Braveheart and Gladiator, suggesting potential legal questions.

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A few users also expressed disbelief at the style of the post. “My future children won’t believe me when I tell them The White House posted this.”

“Wow! Had no idea you got the rights to use Braveheart and Gladiator content to promote war. It'd be a shame if you didn't and were sued as a govt and as the Digital Media team individually”, wrote another user.

However, the video also drew praise from some supporters. Actor Kevin Sorbo said the person who created the video deserved “a raise.”

Another user commented, “Is a 16-year-old managing this account?” while another wrote, “Very creative but I can’t help but notice I voted for peace.”

The White House on X posted more similar videos. Watch the videos here:

Critics say video trivialises serious conflict

Several political commentators and former officials criticised the montage for presenting a real geopolitical conflict in a cinematic or game-like format.

Neera Tanden, who served as staff secretary in the administration of President Joe Biden, said, “The entire Trump Cabinet is made up of people play acting actual leaders and now they do videos confirming it.”

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Trump reiterates stance on Iran

The video surfaced amid escalating rhetoric between Washington and Tehran. On Friday, President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that there would be no agreement with Iran unless it accepted “unconditional surrender.”

“After that, and the selection of a GREAT & ACCEPTABLE Leader(s), we, and many of our wonderful and very brave allies and partners, will work tirelessly to bring Iran back from the brink of destruction, making it economically bigger, better, and stronger than ever before”, he said.

The White House has not issued further clarification regarding the video or the criticism surrounding it.