US President Donald Trump keeps posting what appears to be an AI-generated video of a man in a sombrero and moustache, but why?
Trump posted a 34-second snippet of Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer speaking at a press conference shortly after they met to negotiate a deal and avoid a government shutdown on Tuesday.
But he made some controversial changes to it.
Jeffries is wearing a fake sombrero and moustache while Schumer is speaking in a fake voice disparaging Democrats.
“There’s no way to sugarcoat it: Nobody likes Democrats anymore,” the fake voice says as mariachi music plays in the background.
Jeffries and Schumer are two outspoken Democrats who have dug their heels in trying to achieve an extension of healthcare benefits through federal funding.
The Republicans, who have falsely claimed the Democrats want the benefits for unauthorised immigrants from Latin America, have refused to grant or negotiate their request.
The impasse led to a government shutdown yesterday, on the first day of the US fiscal year.
Jefferies has described Trump’s AI video as racist.
”Mr President, the next time you have something to say about me, don’t cop out through a racist and fake AI video,” he told reporters on Capitol Hill.
“When I’m back in the Oval Office, say it to my face.”
An official government page reposted a clip of Jefferies’ comments with the caption: “Oh no! Hakeem is BIG MAD!”
Trump has gone on to create yet another AI video of Jefferies, this time taking it from his interview with MSNBC about the initial video.
Schumer accused Trump of treating a government shutdown as a joke.
”If you think your shutdown is a joke, it just proves what we all know: You can’t negotiate. You can only throw tantrums,” he wrote on X.
Today, the AI video was played on a loop to reporters in the White House briefing room as Vice President JD Vance and Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt fielded questions.
Vance brushed off criticism over the video, saying it was a joke and he was unsure why it was seen as racist.
“I think it’s funny. The president’s joking, and we’re having a good time,” he said.
“You can negotiate in good faith while also poking a little bit of fun at some of the absurdities of the Democrats’ positions and even poking some fun at the absurdity of the Democrats themselves.”
Vance laughed as he urged Jefferies to reopen the government in exchange for the fake videos to stop.
“I’ll tell Hakeem Jeffries right now, I make the solemn promise to you that if you help us reopen the government, the sombrero memes we’ll stop,” he said.
Leavitt addressed Trump’s love for memes when she was asked after another AI-generated video he posted and later deleted about the medbed conspiracy.
“He likes to share memes, he likes to share videos, he likes to repost things that he sees other people post on social media as well,” she said.
“I think it’s quite refreshing that we have a president who is so open and honest directly.”
