An activist collective known as The Secret Handshake installed three 8-bit arcade cabinets at the D.C. War Memorial this week. The game, titled Operation Epic Fury: Strait to Hell, is a shooter that parodies the White House and the ongoing undeclared war with Iran. This physical protest appeared just as the conflict, which began in February 2026, continues to block energy shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.
Players take control of Donald Trump as he fights through various levels to open the shipping lanes by collecting Truth Social posts. The game features 2D versions of several administration figures and international leaders. Players face off against the Pope, Iranian schoolgirls, and a topless centaur version of Vladimir Putin. Despite the low-budget aesthetic, critics at The Verge noted the gameplay is unexpectedly polished for a satirical project.
The pixelated action includes a wide-faced JD Vance and a character based on Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. In the opening sequence, the Hegseth character says, “My delts are combat ready. Let’s liberate some oil.” The game is a direct response to the government using high-energy video footage to promote the military campaign in the Middle East. The creators said they wanted to flip that imagery back on the people in charge of the war.
The Washington D.C. installation has already attracted attention from locals and military personnel. U.S. National Guard reservists stationed near the National Mall were seen playing the arcade machines shortly after they appeared. While the physical cabinets are only in the capital, an online version of the game exists. Reports indicate the web version passed 14,000 downloads by mid-May.
The Secret Handshake has a history of these types of public displays. In March, the group put up a statue on the National Mall that showed Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein in a pose from the movie Titanic. This latest arcade stunt is their most interactive project to date. The machines remained at the memorial through the morning as crowds gathered to watch people try to beat the final boss and unlock the Strait of Hormuz.