Donald Trump has utilized social media to criticize an allegedly doctored photo that portrays him as larger than his actual size.
The ex-president shared a series of four golfing images on his Truth Social platform, asserting that one was generated by artificial intelligence (AI) while the other three were unaltered. The contentious image depicts Trump with a notably inflated belly, contrasting with his more typical appearance in the remaining unedited photos.
On Friday, February 16, Trump, a prominent contender for the GOP presidential nomination, denounced the use of AI by what he referred to as “The Fake News” to fabricate the manipulated image. He highlighted the contrast between the manipulated photo and the authentic snapshots of him on the golf course, lamenting the prevalence of fake news in the country.
The source of the disputed image remains undisclosed, as Trump attributed its circulation to “The Fake News.” Newsweek has reached out to Donald Trump for further insights via email.
This recent incident is not the sole instance where Trump has been targeted by AI-generated content within the past day. He previously accused the Lincoln Project, an organization established to challenge his 2020 re-election bid, of employing AI-generated imagery in their advertisements.
In response, the Lincoln Project released an AI-generated video featuring Trump’s late father, Fred Trump Sr., expressing disappointment in his son’s actions. The organization aimed to provide words of encouragement from Fred Trump, a staunch supporter of Donald’s career.
In a poignant moment, the AI-created Trump Sr. in the video remarks, “I’ve been dead 30 years and I’m still ashamed of you,” delivering a powerful message to the former president. The video disclaimer clarifies that the content was predominantly generated using artificial intelligence and does not reflect actual statements made by Trump Sr.
Furthermore, Trump has shared manipulated images of himself in the past. In a January post on Truth Social, a platform synonymous with “ReTruthing,” an image portraying Trump in prayer at a church surfaced. However, scrutiny revealed a glaring anomaly—Trump’s hand in the image featured six fingers, a clear indicator of digital alteration.
