The creator of viral Lego-style propaganda videos targeting Donald Trump and the US has admitted the Iranian regime commissions his work. The man, known only as 'Mr Explosive' from the group Explosive Media, told the BBC his team uses Lego 'because it is a world language'. In a podcast interview, he said it is 'honourable to work for the homeland'.
The videos, shared by official Iranian channels, depict outlandish scenarios such as a baby Trump playing war in the Oval Office or the president looking at the Epstein files with Satan. They have been viewed millions of times and are part of a propaganda effort that experts say is a 'serious' technique to engage modern audiences.
Mr Explosive rejected suggestions his videos contain anti-semitic tropes and denied factual inaccuracies, including a clip showing a US pilot being captured by Iranian forces when he was actually rescued by US special forces. He responded by claiming 'only 13 per cent of what Mr Trump says is based on facts'.
Technology consultant Dr Lukasz Olejnik warned against dismissing such content as childish, noting that states are moving away from traditional diplomacy to where attention lies. Experts Kevin L Schwartz and Olmo Gölz said Iran's use of meme videos is 'on-brand', reflecting a binary worldview of oppressed versus oppressors.
