The Trump administration launched a series of arcade-style games on the official White House website Thursday, including titles where players capture people at the southern border and build a border wall. The games are the latest turn in the administration's aggressive online effort to tout its priorities and troll Democrats, which has at times surfaced racist and offensive images.
White House Arcade Games Include 'Rio Run' and 'Build The Wall'
The White House's online arcade features a game called "Rio Run," where users "patrol the line" along the Rio Grande and "pick up every crosser in the lot" to earn a high score of deportations. The user icon in the Snake-style game is an older White man in a blue tie, and the "crossers" appear to be Brown, Black or White. When the player catches one of the "crossers," they suddenly appear in an orange jumpsuit and follow behind the player.
Another immigration-themed game is called "Build The Wall" and asks users to stack bricks and "hold the line" against a "zombie border siege." Other games prompt users to fly a bald eagle along the National Mall or fill their "kids' Trump accounts" by catching diamonds and cash.
Officials Defend Games as Contrast to 'Dark Socialist Vision'
A White House official stated, "this is an effort to further contrast between a culture of fun and winning and the dark socialist vision Democrats have for America." The games were promoted on the White House's official X account with a post that read, "CAN'T STOP WINNING. ?Build the wall. Deport. Fill a Trump Account. LIVE - PLAY NOW ?"
Trump and the White House have drawn sharp criticism for their aggressive use of social media and official government platforms, including by using racist and offensive images, like House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries in a sombrero and the Obamas depicted as apes in a jungle.
Public Reaction Mixed as Critics Question Priorities
While some people are posting their scores from the White House's arcade games on X, others are questioning the administration's priorities given the Iran war and high cost of living. The games were launched Thursday, and the White House promoted them on social media on September 3, 2026.
In November, reports surfaced highlighting the administration's unconventional approach to the White House website, with one official noting, "The website is informative in a lot of different ways, but it's also a vehicle to push our message, and we're able to weaponize it in a way that no other administration has been able to do."
The arcade games represent the latest example of the administration using official government platforms to promote its agenda and provoke political opponents, drawing both praise from supporters and condemnation from critics who question the appropriateness of such content on an official government website.
