Trump’s Greenland threats become playable arcade game in satiric collective’s latest public art intervention

On September 28th, a political art collective called Secret Handshake unveiled a unique form of public art in Washington, DC. The piece consisted of three fully functional arcade games installed at the District of Columbia War Memorial, situated near the National Mall. The games, titled "Operation Epic Furious: Nuuk 'Em All," satirized President Donald Trump's obsession with gaming culture on his social media accounts.

Players were invited to take part in the retro-style game, which revolved around Trump's ambition to annex Greenland. Despite winning the game and completing side quests, such as capturing notes left by Trump's assistant Natalie Harp, players were returned to the White House to continue waging war on Iran, as depicted in Secret Handshake's previous arcade installation, "Operation Epic Furious: Strait to Hell."

The collective's statement explained that the game aimed to present a fantasy lens on recent events, mirroring the White House's own involvement in the gaming world. Secret Handshake received a permit from the National Park Service to display the work and had security on site. The collective chose the location due to the War Memorial's status as a stunning piece of architecture and its history of anti-war statements.

In addition to the Washington installation, the game was also debuted in Nuuk, Greenland. The games are expected to be installed and playable in Washington for several days, with potential interest from indie arcades for long-term housing.