Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

HBO Just Clapped Back at Donald Trump for Using a 'Game of Thrones' Reference to Announce New Sanctions on Iran

President Donald Trump on Friday tweeted a Game of Thrones-inspired meme of himself declaring new sanctions against Iran, and HBO isn't happy about it.

The image, emblazoned with "SANCTIONS ARE COMING NOVEMBER 5," is a play on "Winter is Coming," setting the stage for the final battle between the living and the dead in HBO's hit series. Trump's poster also copied Game of Thrones' signature font style.


A few minutes later, the White House retweeted Trump's message along with a dark announcement of its own:

"The United States has launched a campaign of economic pressure to deny the regime the funds it needs to advance its bloody agenda!"

In a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, HBO said it does not approve of its show's brand being used for political purposes.

"We were not aware of this messaging and would prefer our trademark not be misappropriated for political purposes."

HBO also tweeted: "How do you say copyright infringement in Dothraki?"

Must be a field day over there.

Reactions on Twitter were priceless.

J.K. Rowling nailed it.

Scott Dworkin was at a loss for words.

Sanctions really aren't something to gloat about.

This is what happens when 'rock bottom' rears its head and says, "hold my beer."

Like, this took work; real effort. Our tax dollars are hard at work.

Naturally, Twitterers fired back with Robert Mueller memes.

And spoofs.

Others questioned whether Trump has ever watched Game of Thrones, but given its complex plot and hour-plus-long episodes, probably not.

But what if he does?

Guesses abound.

There are parallels.

Scratch one item off the parallels list.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced on Friday that all of the sanctions that were lifted as part of the 2015 Iran Nuclear Deal will be reimposed and will take effect on Monday, November 5 - the day before the critical midterm elections.

"On November 5th, the United States will reimpose sanctions that were lifted as part of the nuclear deal on Iran's energy, shipbuilding, shipping, and banking sectors," Pompeo said.

"These sanctions hit at core areas of Iran's economy," Pompeo explained in a call with reporters. "They're necessary to spur changes we seek on the part of the regime. In order to maximize the effect of the President's pressure campaign, we have worked closely with other countries to cut off Iranian oil exports as much as possible."

The administration has 12 conditions Iran must meet if they wish to have the sanctions lifted, CNN reported, noting that experts view each of those items as code for "regime change."

"We want to restore democracy there," Pompeo told Laura Ingraham of Fox News on Wednesday. "We think the Iranian people want that same thing, and so our aim is not to harm the Iranian people but to change the behavior, the malign activity of this regime."

Iran was a democracy until 1953 when the United States led a coup to overthrow the democratically-elected government, after which it installed a dictator, Shah Reza Pahlavi.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said that the new wave of sanctions will hit 700 new Iranian targets, including "individuals, entities, vessels, and aircraft."

"This includes hundreds of targets previously granted sanctions relief" under the nuclear deal, "as well more than 300 new designations," he said. "This is substantially more than we have previously done."

Looks like this 5th of November is going to be one to remember.

More from People/donald-trump

Screenshots of Justin Bieber being hounded by paparazzi
X17OnlineVideo

Fans Defend Justin Bieber After He Confronts Paparazzi For Constantly Hounding Him

Fans defended Justin Bieber after he berated the relentless paparazzi and accused them of only being concerned with turning a profit over valuing people's lives.

According to X17, the "Intentions" singer's retreat to Palm Springs, days before the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, was anything but relaxing as he clashed with the paparazzi for a third day in a row.

Keep ReadingShow less
RFK Jr.
Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

RFK Jr. Slammed After Claiming HHS Will Discover The Cause Of 'Autism Epidemic' By September

U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. declared that scientists would determine the cause of the "autism epidemic" by September, even though scientists haven't discovered a breakthrough despite decades of research.

In a cabinet meeting with Republican President Donald Trump on Thursday, RFK Jr. stated:

Keep ReadingShow less
J.D. Vance and Usha Vance listen to Susan Meyers during his Greenland visit
Jim Watson/Pool/AFP via Getty Images

Space Force Commander Fired Over Email Criticizing Vance's Greenland Comments

Vice President J.D. Vance and the wider Trump administration are facing criticism now that Colonel Susan Meyers was removed from her post as commander at Greenland's Pituffik Space Base after breaking with Vance in an email she wrote following his controversial visit to the island territory.

Greenland is an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark, alongside the Faroe Islands, the only other autonomous territory within the Kingdom. Citizens of both Greenland and the Faroe Islands are full citizens of Denmark. As one of the Overseas Countries and Territories of the European Union, Greenland’s citizens are also recognized as EU citizens.

Keep ReadingShow less
Karoline Leavitt and Scott Bessent
Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

Karoline Leavitt Dragged After Making Mind-Numbing Claim About Trump's Tariffs Reversal

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt is getting called out after she attempted to justify President Donald Trump's sudden reversal on his proposed tariffs, telling reporters that his actions make sense because he has a master plan to make the world bend the knee.

Trump declared a full 90-day suspension of all the “reciprocal” tariffs that took effect at midnight April 10—except for those on China—in a dramatic about-face from a president who had long championed his historically high tariff rates as permanent.

Keep ReadingShow less
religion signs
Noah Holm on Unsplash

People Explain What Stopped Them From Going To Church Anymore

There's been a perception of a bit of an exodus from religion for the last several decades. But humanity has gone from no organized religions to oppressive religious regimes to rebellion and back again over the last several millennia.

But is the 21st century when religion finally fails to bounce back?

Keep ReadingShow less