In June 2021, the internet erupted when public records revealed that Scott Cawthon, the creator of the massively popular Five Nights at Freddy's franchise, had donated significant sums to several Republican candidates, including Donald Trump and Mitch McConnell. This discovery sparked a heated debate within the FNAF community, which has a large LGBTQ+ following, leading to accusations of betrayal and calls for his cancellation. Cawthon responded with a lengthy statement defending his beliefs before ultimately announcing his retirement from professional game development. Memes surrounding this event often juxtapose the animatronic horror of his games with the real-world political fallout, or focus on the 'separate the art from the artist' debate that defined the controversy's peak.