HBO is upset that Donald Trump used its intellectual property to send a scornful message to Iran. The 45th president issued a proviso of sanctions to longtime nemesis Iran, scheduled to take effect on November 5th. Curiously the message was issued in the form of a publicity poster co-opting trademarked images from the Game of Thrones series, with Donald replacing one of the characters with his own likeness, and a scornful edict: "Sanctions are Coming November 5."
How many heads of state can you name off hand, that would issue an "official statement" with pulp culture pretences. Inevitably, HBO issued a statement of there on, condemning his "copyright infringement." A rep for the cable provider told TMZ, "We were not aware of this messaging and would prefer our trademark not be misappropriated for political purposes."
Despite the conspicuous nature of the Twitter posting, Trump's administration is actually imposing sanctions on Iran. The sanctions that Trump is reinstating were all lifted when Obama struck a crucial "Nuclear deal" with the Middle Eastern country in 2015, a move some look back on as the defining diplomatic accord of his 8-year presidency.
The "new" sanctions aim to depreciate Iran's banking and energy sectors, as well as limit the outreach of its access to shipping/trade.