It’s no secret that current political leaders have used the entertainment industry and social media to their advantage. In fact, since returning to office, the Trump administration’s musical choices for policy promotions have been under fire.
Now, the administration has turned its attention to the athletic field. On Mar. 6, the White House posted a montage on X of former professional and college football players’ highlights alongside footage promoting U.S. strikes on Iran. The video, set to AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck,” featured a simple caption that read, “Touchdown.”
However, the players in the video have largely condemned the edit, raising ethical and legal concerns. Reporter Robert Klemko for The Washington Post compiled a report of numerous players’ statements in response to the social media post. “For that play to be associated with bombing human beings makes me sick,” former University of Nebraska and NFL wide receiver Kenny Bell told Klemko. “I don’t want anything to do with images like that.”
Similarly, former NFL safety Ed Reed posted on X, “I do not approve this message.” Past NFL linebacker Ray Lewis echoed a similar sentiment in a statement to HuffPost, saying, “I did not approve my image or football highlights being used to compare football to war.”
According to Klemko, the NFL is known for its rigorous regulations on the use of copyrighted material, often preventing broadcasters from reposting game footage. Despite this, the NFL has not yet commented on the situation. First Amendment professor at Harvard Law School Rebecca Tushnet told Klemko that this may be for various reasons.
Firstly, Tushnet explained that courts typically find fair use in political ads and speech, despite how offensive the message may be. “The argument here seems to be: Sports and killing people are fun things that Americans are good at,” Tushnet said. “That is, although repulsive, an argument.”
However, another part of the equation may be the Trump administration’s reputation for retaliating against its opponents. Tushnet told The Washington Post that “This White House is vindictive and bullying. So, if you’re the NFL, why tempt its wrath?”
Regardless, both Bell and former Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Mason Foster believe the video should be removed, either by the White House itself or by rights holders like the NFL.
“I don’t think I’m even allowed to use that clip, because I don’t own it. So I would like the NFL, the networks, to treat the White House like they’d treat me. To re-instill some faith in these institutions, you have to start holding our leaders accountable.”
– Bell said.
The Trump administration has not yet responded to backlash on the video; however, both Foster and Bell gave similar statements to the Post, highlighting the video’s lack of sensitivity. “When people are losing their lives, I don’t think it can compare to a game,” Foster said.
Similarly, Bell told Klemko, “This video is a really good example of where to draw the line. The killing of people is something that’s very, very serious and should not be taken lightly. It scares me for our society that you can be scrolling through social media looking at dog photos, and suddenly you’re seeing someone blown up.”
Although not nearly as direct, this intersection between sports and politics is not new. For example, sports journals have been tracking demographics of prominent leagues, including political affiliations. Former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s decision to take a knee during the national anthem stemmed from a protest against police brutality and racial inequality in the U.S. Similarly, many women’s teams have raised concerns about fair pay and treatment. Athletes have also spoken about gun safety regulation in recent years, as the U.S. continues to face many mass shootings, particularly in schools. This has impacted international sports courts as well, with the most recent example being Australia granting Iran’s women’s soccer team asylum after the U.S. and Israeli strikes.
This is further demonstrated by the current administration’s actions in the past year alone. For example, after congratulating Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and pop superstar Taylor Swift on their engagement, Vice President J.D. Vance said, “I think people want politicians to focus on politics, and they want celebrities to focus on whatever it is that made them famous, whether it’s singing or dancing or acting.” Many have pointed out the irony of this statement, given the Trump administration’s reliance on entertainment—and now the athletic sphere—to further its political messages.
More broadly, around the time of the 2026 Winter Olympics, several political events occurred. Many protested the U.S.’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) policies and President Trump’s determination to take over Greenland. Some U.S. athletes also made more general statements about the country’s political happenings.
What received the most attention, however, was Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) director Kash Patel’s ride to watch the games via a government plane. Questions arose about whether the trip to Milan was truly for professional purposes or personal reasons. Moreover, Patel’s celebration with the U.S. men’s hockey team after they won the games, which included a phone call with Trump, also drew widespread concern. This was only furthered by the president inviting the team to the State of the Union, where the women’s hockey team was notably absent.
These incidents are only a few recent examples of where the two fields overlap, with many more connections throughout the decades. Therefore, although politicians’ use of the sports industry to promote their political agenda isn’t new, the current administration is creating more direct connections between the two spheres, much to the dismay of many athletes and fans.