Trump Uses AI Imagery to Elevate His Image and Attack Rivals

Donald Trump has increasingly utilized artificial intelligence (AI) imagery to craft a narrative that glorifies himself while disparaging his political opponents. This strategy marks a notable shift in political communication, with Trump becoming the first sitting president to adopt hyper-realistic fake visuals as a central component of his messaging. Since the beginning of his second term, he has leveraged content on his social media platform, Truth Social, to portray himself in fantastical roles, including that of a king and a superhero.

In September 2023, Trump shared an AI-generated video that depicted him as a fighter pilot wearing a crown, flying a jet that seemingly dumps waste on protesters. The post coincided with nationwide protests against his leadership style, highlighting the provocative nature of his content. Accompanied by Kenny Loggins’s “Danger Zone,” the video exemplified how Trump uses AI to engage his supporters during moments of heightened national tension.

AI Imagery as a Political Tool

The White House has shared various AI-created images that depict Trump in surreal scenarios, such as dressed as the pope, interacting with a lion, and conducting an orchestra at the Kennedy Center. These fabricated visuals have confused many social media users, some of whom questioned their authenticity. While it remains unclear whether Trump or his aides produced the images, the implications are significant.

According to Wired magazine, Trump has earned the title of “America’s first generative AI president.” Nora Benavidez, senior counsel at the advocacy group Free Press, remarked that Trump’s use of unregulated generative AI serves to amplify his image, undermine his adversaries, and influence public discourse. “For someone like him, unregulated generative AI is the perfect tool to capture people’s attention and distort reality,” Benavidez stated.

In another instance, Trump faced backlash after posting an AI-generated video promising Americans access to “MedBed” hospitals, a concept rooted in debunked conspiracy theories. This video, styled as a Fox News segment, showcased his daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, promoting a fictitious healthcare initiative. The clip was later deleted without explanation, further fueling criticism of Trump’s reliance on misleading information.

Campaign Strategy and Public Reaction

As Trump continues to utilize AI imagery, he has reserved particularly inflammatory posts for his critics and political rivals. In July, he shared an AI video of former President Barack Obama appearing to be arrested in the Oval Office, presenting him in an orange jumpsuit. Additionally, he posted an AI-generated clip of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, depicted in a derogatory manner that Jeffries condemned as racist.

Joshua Tucker, co-director of the New York University Center for Social Media and Politics, noted that Trump’s approach resembles a continuous political campaign rather than a serious effort to convey reality. “I would see his behavior more as campaigning through trolling than actively trying to propagate the false belief that these images depict reality,” Tucker explained.

The use of AI in political messaging is not limited to Trump. Recently, California Governor Gavin Newsom shared an AI-generated video on social media mocking Republicans after Democrats achieved significant electoral victories. The clip featured wrestlers with faces of Democratic leaders overpowering their Republican opponents, illustrating a growing trend of AI imagery in political discourse.

As AI technology evolves, its implications for political communication become increasingly profound. The challenge remains for voters and citizens to discern fact from fiction in an era where imagery can be manipulated to serve specific narratives. The ongoing developments in this area will likely continue to shape the landscape of modern politics.