Overview
- Fans first flagged the White House and presidential social posts in March for using clips from franchises such as Yu‑Gi‑Oh!, Dragon Ball and Pokémon without clear permission.
- A Truth Social video that showed President Trump as Naruto Uzumaki on Saturday, June 6, renewed the campaign and prompted organisers to reopen a petition called “Protect Japanese Manga.”
- The petition has gathered more than 23,000 signatures as fans say using these characters in political or military contexts misrepresents creators’ values of courage and friendship.
- Official franchise accounts and rights holders, including the Yu‑Gi‑Oh! account and The Pokémon Company, have publicly said they were not involved and did not grant permission for the uses reported.
- Japanese ministers have formally raised the issue with U.S. officials through diplomatic channels and warned that public institutions must secure permission from rights holders, a step that could affect future use of Japanese cultural exports.