Unveiling AI-generated content Trump disseminates across networks, ranging from alleged Obama arrest details to information about a resort in Gaza
In the lead-up to the 2024 U.S. elections, the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in political discourse has become a prominent feature, with former President Donald Trump utilising AI-generated content to fuel misinformation and controversy.
Despite the city's mayor denying such claims, messages on social media echoed a falsehood that Trump was a solution to a non-existent problem in Ohio. The misinformation was amplified by AI-generated images, one of which showed Trump in an airplane full of cats and ducks, and another with cats and military equipment bearing his slogan.
During a presidential debate in 2024, Trump claimed that in Springfield, Ohio, immigrants were eating dogs and cats, a baseless invention that was debunked. This incident, however, was not the first time Trump had spread misinformation.
In July 2025, Trump shared a fabricated AI video depicting former President Barack Obama being arrested by FBI agents in the Oval Office, a blatant attempt to mislead viewers. Similarly, fake AI-generated photos linking Trump to illicit activities with Jeffrey Epstein and underage girls have circulated on the internet, further fueling misinformation narratives surrounding him.
Trump's use of AI-generated content extends beyond spreading falsehoods. He joked about wanting to be the new pope, a comment that sparked criticism for being perceived as a mockery of the Catholic Church. He also shared an AI-generated photograph of himself dressed as a pope, days before the conclave that elected the American León XIV as the new pontiff.
Moreover, Trump shared an AI-generated video depicting children dancing under a rain of money on the beach, giant golden statues of Trump, and buildings named "Gaza Trump." The video was published days after the Director of National Intelligence revealed "overwhelming evidence" about the Obama government's alleged participation in a "conspiracy" against Trump in the 2016 presidential elections.
Trump's actions have raised concerns among officials, including Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey, who has highlighted how AI platforms produce biased or factually inaccurate outputs that can serve as propaganda or manipulation tools in political contexts.
The X account of the House Judiciary Committee published an AI-generated image of Trump hugging a group of animals, reaching over 80 million views. Trump also posted a manipulated nine-second video on Truth Social, presenting CNN journalist Anderson Cooper as if he were praising him. This video was a 'deepfake' where the presenter's voice was cloned using artificial intelligence.
Trump's behaviour at a presidential forum moderated by CNN at the Saint Anselm College in Goffstown, New Hampshire, further exemplifies his use of AI-generated content to spread misinformation. During the event, Trump again spread the false narrative that the elections he lost to Joe Biden were rigged. After this incident, presenter Anderson Cooper condemned Trump's behaviour at the forum, a broadcast that Trump spread with the manipulated audio to make it seem like Cooper was praising him instead of criticizing him.
The use of AI-generated content by Trump exacerbates the challenge of verifying truth on social media, making it easier to spread misinformation to a large audience rapidly. This highlights important ethical and policy debates around the governance of AI in media and politics.
- The conversation around politics on social media platforms, including general news and entertainment, is increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence (AI) and its ability to generate content, as evidenced by Donald Trump's use of AI-generated images and videos to amplify misinformation.
- Moreover, the manipulation of AI technologies extends beyond images and videos to impersonation, as demonstrated by a deepfake video shared by Trump, where Anderson Cooper's voice was cloned to make it appear as if he was praising Trump, instead of criticizing him.
- As AI continues to advance and play a significant role in political discourse, it becomes crucial to address the ethical and policy implications of its use, particularly in relation to the spread of misinformation on social media and its potential for propaganda or manipulation in the political context.
