What in the World How the White House is using hype videos to sell the Iran war
Mar 20, 2026
Sander van der Linden, Cambridge social psychology professor explaining how gamified hype can distance viewers. Anthony Zurcher, BBC North America correspondent reporting on the White House’s social media strategy and its precedents. They discuss viral meme-style videos, targeting young gamers, comparisons to past wartime media, and the ethical backlash and public reactions.
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White House Uses Hype Videos To Signal Military Dominance
- The White House is posting short "hype" videos that glamorize US military action to signal dominance in the Iran war.
- Anthony Zurcher says they mash up action movies, video games and strike footage to sell a narrative of clear American victory aimed at social media formats.
Targeting Young Male Gamers With Memes And Clips
- The primary audience appears to be young men who consume video games and action movies and don't get news from mainstream outlets.
- Anthony Zurcher links this targeting to the same demographic outreach used in Trump's campaigns to activate younger male voters.
Wii Sports Clip Edited With Real Strike Footage
- A widely seen TikTok used Nintendo Wii Sports baseball hitting footage followed by real strike footage with a narrator saying "out of the park."
- Iqra Farooq describes this as an example of trivializing real strikes by pairing game sounds and visuals with real footage.