The Dictatorship
Trump given option to ‘order Diet Coke’ or ‘invade Iran’ in arcade game at D.C. memorial
Those who visit the District of Columbia War Memorial this week may notice a new oddity between its regal columns: three fully functional arcade games satirizing President Donald Trump’s war with Iran.
The 1980s-style arcade games are the newest installation of protest art from Secret Handshake, the anonymous activist group behind the golden statue of Trump and late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein that appeared in front of the Capitol building in March.
But the collective is not drawing attention to the Trump administration’s handling of the Epstein files this time. Instead, it is commenting on the Iran war with a game dubbed “Operation Epic Furious: Strait To Hell,” a reference to Operation Epic Fury, the Pentagon’s name for its mission in Iran, and the Strait of Hormuz, the key oil route that has become a major sticking point of the conflict.
“The game features furious tweet battles against Iranian schoolgirls, low-flow shower heads, and other threats to American freedom like DEI and The Pope. And just to save you time, the only way you can lose is by trying to hold Melania’s hand. But it’s The Middle East, so you also can’t win either,” the collective said in a statement to MS NOW.
Users who wish to cosplay as the president can decide whether to “order a Diet Coke” or “invade Iran.” Moving the Trump character around a map set in the White House leads to interactions with caricatures of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and FBI Director Kash Patel.
If approached, the Hegseth character suggests Trump “Go outside and borrow Kid Rock’s helicopter to get to the war zone,” or exclaims that his “delts are combat ready.” The game is also available to play online.
Secret Handshake’s decision to craft the game parodying the administration’s handling of the war was inspired by the White House’s use of memes and video game clips to promote the military effort on official accounts, the creators said.
Since the war began on Feb. 28, the official White House account has used clips from movies including “Iron Man” and “Top Gun” and video games including “Wii Sports” and “Call of Duty,” spliced with real U.S. military footage of airstrikes in Iran.
The controversial videos have drawn backlash from social media users and critics, including Secret Handshake, who argue the posts inappropriately “gamify” war.
“The Trump administration knows that the best way to sell combat is by making it a video game, that’s why they’ve been pumping out the ‘sickest’ Iran War video game hype reels. But why stop at clips when you could go full throttle?” states a plaque next to the games in the memorial.
“Introducing Operation Epic Furious: Strait to Hell, a high-octane, flag-waving, boots-on-the-ground simulator where freedom isn’t debated, it’s deployed. No briefings, no hesitation; just pure pixelated patriotism. Strap in and play hard, because this game may never end,” the plaque next to the games reads.
The arcade games are expected to remain at the War Memorial on the National Mall, just south of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, for the next few days, the group said.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Sydney Carruth is a breaking news reporter covering national politics and policy for MS NOW. You can send her tips from a non-work device on Signal at SydneyCarruth.46 or follow her work on X and Bluesky.