As the Trump administration continues its bombing campaign against Iran, it is using videos on social media to promote the war. This week, one such video was edited to include throwback NFL highlights and the AC/DC song “Thunderstruck.”
Among the NFL highlights in the video was one of Ryan Clark making a big tackle during his Pittsburgh Steelers days. The outspoken ESPN commentator and podcast host addressed the promotional videos, including his involvement in the latest one, during a forthcoming episode of The Pivot this week, calling them “disgusting and despicable.”
“I am disappointed that the video was even made,” he said. “To have (“Thunderstruck”) and football highlights on a video about war is one of the more insensitive things that I’ve ever seen. There are families here in our country whose loved ones have decided to give their lives to fight for our rights and our freedoms, who don’t see war as a sport. War doesn’t deserve a highlight film.”
Later, Clark took direct aim at President Donald Trump, who hosted The Apprentice on NBC for many years before taking office. Clark believes Trump’s reality-television mindset has led to the degradation of American culture.
“For our regime to be as unserious, as unprofessional, as laughable, and as illegitimate as our leadership is right now, is embarrassing. And it tells you the difference between a public servant and a reality star. Right?” Clark said.
“Because the reality star needs everybody to know at all times, ‘Look at me, look at the attention I’m garnering, we’re doing this for me.’ The public servant stands at attention for 45 minutes in a salute because he understands what those soldiers who gave their lives have done for our country.
“I think we’ve lost, 100 percent, any credibility. We’ve lost all decorum, we’ve lost all integrity, we’ve lost all character. And I believe that … the White House post involving myself and other NFL players is absolutely disgusting and despicable.”
Clark is not the first celebrity to butt heads with the administration over its use of their likenesses and intellectual property in propaganda materials. Comedian Theo Von was featured in a Department of Homeland Security video during an immigration enforcement crackdown last year. In a series of viral posts, Von distanced himself from DHS policy and the video, which was ultimately taken down.
Many musical artists have also taken legal action to stop Trump and the administration from using their songs at campaign events and in promotional materials.
Other retired NFL athletes responded to the administration’s video. Former Minnesota and Kansas City safety Husain Abdullah noted the fact that even athletes cannot use their own highlights in promotional materials, while former Washington linebacker turned Bussin’ With the Boys host Will Compton wrote, “War & football. That’s what America does.”
Clark believes that, due to the administration’s involvement in the conflict and its blatant use of his likeness to drum up support for it, leadership in the U.S. no longer cares what Americans think about policy decisions.
“What I’ve learned about leadership now is that they don’t care about what we think. They don’t care about what we say. It’s about what one person wants,” he said. “And anything different than the thing that they’re supporting is wrong and it will be attacked. I knew that in ’16, I knew that in ’20, and I knew that in ’24. And what’s transpired in ’25 and ’26 has made me feel more correct than ever. So I would never have agreed to that, I don’t back this, and many of us don’t believe this is a war we should be part of.”