Overview
- On Jan. 15, the official White House account posted a pixel‑art image styled after Stardew Valley to promote restoring whole and 2% milk in U.S. school lunches.
- Multiple outlets reported the artwork appears AI‑generated, with awkward proportions and details that imitate the indie game’s aesthetic.
- Fans and artists criticized the post as appropriation without permission, and moderators of r/StardewValley removed a repost for political content.
- Viewers highlighted the on‑screen number “45464748” as suggestive presidential‑number signaling and some users linked the “whole milk” theme to past extremist symbolism, which remains unverified.
- A U.S. government spokesperson said the administration will continue using popular film and video game memes for outreach, citing Halo, Pokémon and Lord of the Rings.