If you’ve never heard of the multimedia franchise Pokémon, you are truly disconnected from this world (and this writer means that in the most complimentary way possible).
The Pokémon franchise, co-owned by Nintendo, Game Freak and Creatures Inc., is the most valuable media franchise in the world, and has become a worldwide phenomena. Between the video games, toys, television shows, movies, trading cards and music, Pokémon is as ubiquitous as McDonald’s and Starbucks — if not even more so.
So it shouldn’t be a surprise that there is at least one huge Pokémon fan currently working in President Donald Trump’s Department of Homeland Security.
What may be a surprise to you is how effectively this Pokémon supporter is utilizing his or her fandom.
On Monday, the DHS dropped an X post that lifted the entire theme song to the original Pokémon anime, alongside the original Pokémon slogan, “Gotta Catch ‘Em All”:
Gotta Catch ‘Em All. pic.twitter.com/qCvflkJGmB
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) September 22, 2025
(For the unaware, Pokémon is a video game based around people capturing and training mystical pets/monsters to fight other mystical pets/monsters. For the cynical, yes, Pokémon is essentially a video game about glorified cockfighting.)
Oh, but DHS wasn’t just done after dredging up a core ’90s memory for many millennials.
Did you ever partake in the Pokémon craze?
The DHS X account then decided to riff on Pokémon’s popular trading cards. But whereas those cards would include some colorful art, stats, and “battle abilities,” these DHS versions were … a little less whimsical:
https://t.co/drRpouW3h8 pic.twitter.com/EiC5lU1pi9
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) September 22, 2025
https://t.co/drRpouVvrA pic.twitter.com/iYEJ7QZ2hr
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) September 22, 2025
https://t.co/drRpouVvrA pic.twitter.com/Ii7DzoD4pf
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) September 22, 2025
https://t.co/drRpouVvrA pic.twitter.com/XBuZ4UUxRk
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) September 22, 2025
https://t.co/drRpouW3h8 pic.twitter.com/AU9vsgOfIH
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) September 22, 2025
Yes, those are Pokémon-ified alleged criminals that had been detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Instead of colorful art, they’re mostly mug shots. And instead of “battle abilities,” they’re mostly a rundown of what type of heinous crime the suspect committed.
It’s all a wonderfully tongue-in-cheek way of touting ICE’s accomplishments, with a bit of Nintendo flair thrown in.
Oh, and speaking of the Big N, it’s clear this DHS Pokémon fan has struck a few nerves with these posts.
As IGN outlined, swarms of upset (and presumably anti-Trump) Pokémon fans are clamoring for the notoriously litigious Nintendo to sue DHS for copyright infringement, or something along those lines.
Just two problems, as The Pokémon Company’s former “trigger-happy” chief legal officer Don McGowan outlined to IGN.
“I don’t see [the Pokémon owners] doing anything about this for a few reasons,” McGowan said. “First, think of how little you see [The Pokémon Company International]’s name in the press. They are INSANELY publicity-shy and prefer to let the brand be the brand.”
“Second, many of their execs in the USA are on green cards,” he added. “Even if I was still at the company I wouldn’t touch this, and I’m the most trigger-happy CLO [Chief Legal Officer] I’ve ever met.
“This will blow over in a couple of days and they’ll be happy to let it.”
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