Trump AI Video Using Japanese Anime Character Image Sparks Copyright Dispute
President Trump released an AI-generated video featuring a ninja character resembling a Japanese anime protagonist, sparking copyright concerns. Japan's government raised the issue diplomatically, with officials arguing that using copyrighted works requires the holder's consent even for public figures.
What happened
President Trump released an AI-generated song video titled 'Everybody Loves Trump' on June 6, 2026, featuring a depiction of Trump dressed as a Japanese ninja that resembles the protagonist of a Japanese anime work.
The video sparked protests from Japanese citizens online who objected to the unauthorized use of the anime character image. On June 12, 2026, the Japanese government raised the issue through diplomatic channels with the United States.
Reported impact
Large numbers of Japanese people protested online against Trump's use of the Japanese anime character image. Japan's Minister for Economic Security and Knowledge Property Issues stated the use could violate the intent of the copyright holder and damage the image of the work.
Index analysis
The minister emphasized that obtaining consent from the copyright holder before using copyrighted works is a 'basic principle' that applies even to public institutions. She noted that use of copyrighted material may violate the copyright holder's intent and cause harm, even without constituting clear infringement.
Governance controls
Japan expressed concern through diplomatic channels and requested the video not be further disseminated. The minister stated a strong hope that such incidents would not happen again and called for the issue to be 'properly handled.'
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.