Hall of Fame safety Ed Reed has taken to social media to publicly distanced himself from a controversial White House media campaign.
The dispute centered on a high-octane video montage shared by the official White House social media accounts, which utilized some of the most violent highlights in NFL history to punctuate real-world footage of U.S. military operations in Iran.
Reed, whose career was defined by his punishing physical style and multiple league honors, was featured in the clip delivering one of his trademark hits.
Responding to the post on X, the Ravens icon was succinct in his rejection of the imagery, stating simply: “I do not approve this message.”
Reed’s objection followed a sharp observation from sports commentator Ben Jacobs, who had flagged the video earlier that day. Jacobs noted that the administration was using footage of Reed and his longtime teammate Ray Lewis to serve as a “hype” background for ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
The video in question, set to the rhythmic drive of AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck,” created a jarring parallel between the collisions of the gridiron and the impact of missiles on foreign soil.
Scenes of unclassified military strikes were edited to synchronize with the beat of the music, alternating rapidly with clips of Reed, Lewis, and former Pittsburgh Steelers safety Ryan Clark leveling opponents. The White House captioned the football-specific montage with a single word: “Touchdown.”
Political messaging sparks debate over sports licensing and propaganda
The release of the “Touchdown” clip appears to be part of a broader, cinematic social media strategy recently adopted by the Trump administration to frame military actions as “American dominance.”
Just days prior, the White House released a similar montage titled “Justice the American way,” which blended clips from Hollywood blockbusters like Gladiator and Top Gun: Maverick with actual footage of strikes on Iranian targets.
While those videos drew rebukes from actors like Ben Stiller, the use of NFL highlights has introduced a new layer of legal and ethical complexity.
The NFL typically maintains strict control over its broadcast rights, requiring express written permission for the use of its footage in non-league contexts, especially for political messaging.
Yet, neither the NFL nor the Baltimore Ravens have issued a formal comment on whether the White House received the necessary authorization to feature their players and trademarks in a video promoting military conflict.
