MAGA has entered its arcade era

The White House launched five familiar looking games, so its users can play deportation, MAHA and build the wall Published September 5, 2026 3:30PM (EDT) Arcade.gov now directs users to the White House's online game site where familiar games are given a distinctly MAGA refurbishment. (Screenshot / WhiteHouse) The White House has found a new way to promote President Donald Trump’s agenda: retro video games. There is, unfortunately for the administration, already a boss battle. The White House launched an online arcade this week featuring five games based on Trump policy priorities, including immigration enforcement, border security, children’s savings accounts and the “Make America Healthy Again” movement. CAN’T STOP WINNING. 🎮 Build the wall. Deport. Fill a Trump Account. LIVE – PLAY NOW 📲 https://t.co/qIR69AxSnm pic.twitter.com/2nr2jG1ZRg — The White House (@WhiteHouse) September 3, 2026 They all look similar to popular games, but one of them looks a little too familiar for one gaming giant. “Build the Wall” asks players to stack colorful blocks into a barrier protecting the southern border from what the game describes as a “zombie border siege.” Fail to stack them quickly enough and players are greeted with “BORDER BREACHED.” The gameplay bears a striking resemblance to Tetris. The Tetris Company noticed. In an Instagram post, the company said it had no involvement in the game and warned that it takes unauthorized use of its intellectual property seriously. It also noted that the original game has long been associated with bringing people together across cultures — a somewhat different message from building a wall to keep a “horde” out. And “Build the Wall” is only the beginning. Start your day with essential news from Salon. Sign up for our free morning newsletter, Crash Course. “Rio Run,” modeled after the classic game Snake, allows players to patrol the Rio Grande and capture figures representing migrants, adding them to a running deportation count, and allowing players to “play deportation.” “Supply Line” puts players on a school lunch line, where they eliminate foods that don’t meet the administration’s MAHA standards. “Flappy Bill” sends a bald eagle carrying legislation through obstacles in Washington, while “Trump Savings Tycoon” asks players to collect money and gold to fill Trump Accounts, the children’s savings program created under the administration. A sixth game is listed as coming soon. Start your day with essential news from Salon. Sign up for our free morning newsletter, Crash Course. The administration has fully committed to the retro-gaming aesthetic. Promotional material for the arcade included parodies of familiar video game console introductions, including a riff on Sega’s famous logo that replaces “SEGA” with “MAGA.” The games are the latest example of the administration using memes, pop culture and internet aesthetics to sell its political agenda. This time, however, players don’t simply watch the message. They get points for participating in it. Or, in the case of “Build the Wall,” they can discover what happens when Tetris meets immigration policy — whether Tetris likes it or not. Related Topics ------------------------------------------ Related Articles