Trump Leverages Persona 5’s Themes of Battling Corruption to Promote His Agenda

Every time the administration distorts the imagery of a video game or other pop culture property for a meme, it does so in a way that’s completely disconnected from the original content. A prime example of this misunderstanding can be seen in a recent hype reel shared on social media, featuring AI-generated footage of the president and his associates executing an All Out Attack from Persona 5, a game centered on dismantling corrupt politicians and abusers.

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.

The clip wraps up another montage that mixes footage of the president with anime like Dragon Ball and Yu-Gi-Oh, seemingly crafted to resemble a Toonami-style “commercial” for the administration. It also includes clips of presumably left-leaning TikTokers expressing distress and news articles touting job growth during the administration. The highlight is a segment from Persona 5, apparently taken from popular content creator Faz’s videos, showcasing an All Out Attack featuring the president, Vice President JD Vance, and others. The final shot is a modified version of Persona 5 character Yusuke Kitagawa’s victory screen, altered to feature a bald eagle instead of the dragon from the original game.

It’s deeply ironic that the administration would utilize imagery from a game where the characters harness supernatural powers to overthrow corrupt leadership, including a sex offender and a crooked politician. Additionally, the AI-generated content replaces the victory pose of Persona 5’s actual artist character. This shows a clear lack of understanding or respect for the source material being appropriated for propaganda, while the target audience cheers as if the president himself had logged over 100 hours in Persona 5. This is a classic example of “larping,” where someone pretends to be interested in something purely for clout.

We’ve reached out to the developers for comment and will provide updates if we receive a response.