Actor Steve Downes, who is best known in these parts as the man who brought Halo’s Master Chief to life, has demanded the Trump administration and other involved parties remove his voice from a propaganda video glorifying the war in Iran, which was shared on the White House’s social media earlier this month, describing it as “disgusting and juvenile war porn”.
The video in question reads Justice the American Way, and sees Master Chief alongside other film and television characters such as Top Gun’s Maverick (played by Tom Cruise), Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man, corrupt lawyer Saul Goodman from the Breaking Bad universe, Keanu Reeve’s John Wick and many more all saying some of their most iconic lines while pumped up music plays in the background. These clips are interspersed with real world war footage. Yes, it is all very distasteful, and as Downes said, juvenile.
Downes has now released a statement on his own social media, distancing himself from the White House’s post. “It has come to my attention that there is at least one propaganda video circulating that was either produced or at the very least endorsed by the White House that uses images of Master Chief and uses my voice to support the war in Iran,” he wrote on X.
“Let me make this crystal clear: I did not participate in nor was I consulted, nor do I endorse the use of my voice in this video, or the message it conveys. I demand that the producers of this disgusting and juvenile war porn remove my voice immediately.”
At the time of writing, Downe’s post has over 2k comments, with many commending the actor for speaking out. “Master Chief’s new mission: Stop the White House from spreading their war porn obsession,” reads one such reply. “Oorah!”
Eurogamer has asked Microsoft for comment regarding the White House’s use of Halo on its social media channel.
Downe is not the only name to be down on the Trump administration’s use of video game media to promote its political agenda. Just last week, The Pokémon Company released a statement objecting the use of a Pokémon Pokopia meme by the White House’s social media team.
“We were not involved in its creation or distribution, and no permission was granted for the use of our intellectual property,” The Pokémon Company said at the time. “Our mission is to bring the world together, and that mission is not affiliated with any political viewpoint or agenda.”
