Hasbro And Transformers Officially Take A Stance Against ICE

Transformers Officially Respond To ICE, "Optimus Prime Represents Compassion" Published Sep 11, 2026, 8:49 AM EDT James Lucas is an Executive Editor at TheGamer who has worked in professional journalism since 2018. A Newcastle University graduate with a degree in Journalism, Media, and Culture, they have written hundreds of guides, news stories, and original reports, with bylines in IGN, NME, GaymingMag, and VG247, sourcing interviews with studio heads, legendary industry figures, prominent actors, and more. An expert on FPS games, Soulslikes, RPGs, and survival horror, James has intimate knowledge of a wide variety of titles, providing in-depth coverage and exclusive profiles. Some of the games they have extensively covered include: Half-Life 3, Counter-Strike, Elden Ring, and Fallout. They pride themselves on their consistently thorough research, leveraging nearly a decade of industry experience. You can reach them at James.t@thegamer.com Sign in to your TheGamer account On September 9, the US government co-opted yet another beloved franchise to push its agenda. This time, just two weeks after Peter Cullen's death, it slapped Optimus Prime in ICE and Homeland Security memorabilia for a mock-up Transformers: Age Of Deportation poster. A bizarre choice for a character who is literally an alien. Transformers parent company Hasbro was quick to respond, making it abundantly clear that the iconic Autobot is not aligned with ICE or its anti-immigration messaging. “Optimus Prime is a beloved character who represents humility, leadership, compassion and justice,” the statement reads. “Hasbro is aware of the recent posts using his likeness. These posts were done without permission and do not represent the Transformers brand or Hasbro.” Fans have since flooded the Department of Homeland Security's post with screenshots of Hasbro's statement, as well as a particularly relevant Optimus Prime quote: “Freedom is the right of all sentient beings.” The official Transformers social accounts even shared the Hasbro message directly with their audience, again making it crystal clear that Optimus Prime wants nothing to do with ICE. And he's not alone. "Freedom Is The Right Of All Sentient Beings" The White House was recerently forced to take down a Tetris-style game on its website called “Build The Wall” after The Tetris Company ominously responded, “We take copyright infringement very seriously.” Likewise, it posted a statement on social media stressing that its values are not aligned with ICE or the Trump administration. “At Tetris we believe in the power of connection and bringing people together, not dividing them,” it said. “To our fans everywhere: we love you, we see you, and we're grateful to have you in our community.” Japanese officials have spoken out against The White House for damaging its most popular brands, including Naruto and Mario, with these kinds of posts. If you've been online at all since Trump returned to office, you'll have noticed again and again that the White House has been utilizing memes and popular video games to try and shitpost its way to winning over younger voters. ICE raids scored to the Pokémon theme tune, Trump donning Master Chief's armor in an AI meme, the Sega logo manipulated to say “MAGA,” and on and on. Evidently, copyright holders are getting fed up. Release Date July 3, 2007 Runtime 144 minutes Director Michael Bay Cast Shia LaBeouf Sam Witwicky Mark Ryan Bumblebee (Voice) Peter Cullen Optimus Prime (voice) Writers Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci, John Rogers Producers Don Murphy, Ian Bryce, Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Steven Spielberg, Tom DeSanto, Brian Goldner