Rockstar Games found itself at the centre of a political controversy after the White House and senior Trump administration officials used Grand Theft Auto VI-themed imagery to promote border security policies, sparking debate across social media among gamers and drawing a brief response from the game developer.
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Amid the growing debate, gaming outlet Kotaku sought Rockstar's reaction to the use of its imagery by the administration. The company's response was notably brief. A Rockstar spokesperson said: "No comment".
The row began after Rockstar officially unveiled the cover art for GTA 6 and announced pre-orders for the highly anticipated title. As has become common with major Rockstar marketing campaigns, the reveal turned into a cultural moment as brands, public figures and social media users started creating their own versions of the artwork and logo.
Among those joining the trend was the White House's official social media account, which shared a GTA VI-style image focused on US President Donald Trump. The post went viral, with many users pointing out the irony of a government account adopting imagery from a franchise that has long questioned authority, law enforcement and political institutions.
The discussion intensified when US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) shared its own GTA-themed AI-generated image. Featuring stylised agents, a CBP helicopter and a border landscape, the post said that the administration had effectively "secured the border" before the release of GTA 6.
