WASHINGTON – Former President Donald Trump and his allies are increasingly utilizing AI-generated videos, frequently enough referred to as “deepfakes,” to disseminate political messaging, blurring the lines between fact and fiction as the 2026 midterm elections approach. The trend has drawn criticism from Democrats, artists, and raised concerns about the lack of regulation surrounding AI in political advertising.
trump posted a video to his Truth Social account on Saturday featuring his likeness set to Kenny Loggins‘ “danger Zone,” prompting condemnation from Loggins and joining a growing number of artists objecting to the unauthorized use of their work by the Trump governance.
The use of AI extends beyond music. The National Republican Senatorial Committee last week posted an AI-video on X depicting Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) stating, “every day gets better” for Democrats amid a potential government shutdown. While the quote is authentic, the accompanying imagery is fabricated, and a small AI-generated watermark is the only indication of manipulation. Current Federal Election Commission regulations do not address such doctored ads.
Trump has previously shared AI-generated videos featuring fabricated quotes from political opponents, including a video of Schumer saying, “nobody likes Democrats anymore.” He also superimposed a sombrero and exaggerated mustache onto House Minority leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) in a post widely criticized as racist.
Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) joined the trend, posting an AI-video of Senate Democrats who opposed the House’s shutdown bill wearing sombreros, set to a parody of “Macarena.” Another AI-generated video depicted Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought as the grim reaper as he prepared to oversee federal job cuts.
White House Director of Communications Steven Cheung responded to criticism of the videos by writing on X, “Sh–ing all over these No Kings losers,” alongside a laughing emoji.
According to Axios, the increasing prevalence of deepfakes is shifting public perception, with AI-generated content becoming normalized and potentially eroding trust in authentic video evidence.
