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Halo Composer's Controversial Congressional Bid Sparks Backlash

10/29/2025

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Summary

Story summary

Marty O'Donnell, the Halo theme composer, is running for Congress in 2026 and aligning with U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration.
He responded to a controversial DHS ICE recruitment ad using Halo imagery by pledging to "destroy the Flood" if elected.
The remark drew backlash because many interpreted "Flood" as a reference to undocumented immigrants.
Former Halo developers, including Marcus Lehto, condemned the ad as abhorrent.

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Story summary

Marty O'Donnell, the Halo theme composer, is running for Congress in 2026 and aligning with U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration.
He responded to a controversial DHS ICE recruitment ad using Halo imagery by pledging to "destroy the Flood" if elected.
The remark drew backlash because many interpreted "Flood" as a reference to undocumented immigrants.
Former Halo developers, including Marcus Lehto, condemned the ad as abhorrent.