Last weekend, Trump posted an AI-generated video on Truth Social, featuring a short segment depicting him dressed as a character from the popular anime series Naruto, performing a ninja technique with hands clasped. The video drew strong opposition from fans of the series, who claim the image was used without authorization.

Trump as a Naruto character in an image believed to be AI-generated. Photo: Truth Social/Donald Trump

This wave of anger follows months of tension in Japan over the White House's online use of other Japanese pop culture images, including brands like "Dragon Ball", "Yu-Gi-Oh!", and "Pokemon". Anime imagery was even used in a TikTok video posted by the White House in march to announce US airstrikes in Iran.

The White House's frequent social media posts also draw material from other animation and entertainment brands such as SpongeBob SquarePants, Marvel, DC Comics, and the game Call of Duty. However, in Japan, where anime is considered a "cultural treasure" and central to national identity, the Trump administration's use of these images for political purposes is unacceptable.

Nana Suzuki, a 34-year-old citizen living south of Tokyo, launched an online petition in march calling on the Japanese government to take stronger measures to protect anime from political misuse. The campaign has now collected over 24,000 signatures.

"I am outraged when works are exploited to incite political, military conflict or controversy", she stated. "I believe Japan needs to speak out, affirming that using these images infringes upon creators' rights, and that using cultural content for political or military purposes is unacceptable".

The US administration has not yet commented.

Earlier this year, Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs lodged a complaint with the US embassy in Tokyo regarding the use of anime images. In april, speaking at a parliamentary hearing, Shige Watanabe, a Ministry of Foreign Affairs official, stressed that "even public authorities should not copy copyrighted works without permission".

Japanese Minister of Economic Security Kimi Onoda reiterated this message at a press conference on 12/6, warning that such inappropriate use of images "could damage the work's image and cause harm to copyright holders".

"We will continue to take appropriate measures, including discussions with the US side, to ensure copyright issues are handled properly", she added. Referring to Trump's post on 6/6, she said she "does not want similar incidents to recur and this post to continue spreading".

US President Donald Trump in the Oval Office, White House, on 10/6. Photo: AP

Anime creators also strongly oppose the Trump administration's use of their content. In march, The Pokemon Company International stated that the White House had used its intellectual property without permission. Days later, the copyright owner of Yu-Gi-Oh! also released a statement clarifying that the manga and anime production team was not involved with messages from the White House.

The Japanese government has signaled its consistent view that protecting creators' intellectual property is a matter of national interest, not solely limited to the incidents involving President Trump. In december last year, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi stated that Japanese cultural content is an essential component of the country's "diplomatic power".

Two manga fans in Ikebukuro, Tokyo, expressed concern that exploiting anime for political purposes could distort the genre's image.

"It's not good at all when works are misused from their original purpose", said Sora Kikuchi, 22. "I love Japanese anime and hope it is used for good purposes".

Her friend, Sakia Kikuchi, 22, agreed. "It's fine if President Trump is an anime fan, but it seems he is trivializing it without any understanding", she commented.

However, a small segment of fans remains unconcerned by Trump's actions. One X user found the US President's actions "quite humorous" and believed it only contributed to Naruto's popularity.

"I'm proud that Japanese comics have swept the world to the point that the US President knows Naruto", another user remarked.

Vu Hoang (According to Guardian, BBC, AFP, Reuters)