President Trump sparked controversy by releasing AI-generated videos featuring racist caricatures of Democrats and portraying figures like Russell Vought as the Grim Reaper during government shutdown negotiations. Critics condemned the posts as offensive and dangerous, connecting them to Project 2025 and accusing Trump of weaponizing AI to reshape political conflicts. (Screengrab from AI video shared by Trump) US President Donald Trump recently unleashed a new batch of AI-generated videos, this time spotlighting Russell Vought and Vice President JD Vance. This release follows sharp criticism of the 45th president’s earlier AI videos, which were labeled bizarre, offensive, and even risky. Among these was a surreal music video depicting budget director Russell Vought—key architect of the contentious Project 2025—as the Grim Reaper, set to an AI-created cover of Blue Öyster Cult’s “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper. ” The clip also features Trump leading a band with Vance on drums, while baby-faced Democrats in sombreros and mustaches appear onscreen. Another video shows Trump tossing a “Trump 2028” hat at House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. This video spree came after a dinner at Vice President JD Vance’s home on Thursday night and coincided with tense talks over the government shutdown. Democrats denounced the clips as racist, highlighting Trump’s repeated use of AI deepfakes showing Jeffries wearing a sombrero. Trump has used this caricature to accuse Democrats of favoring undocumented immigrants over American citizens during the shutdown negotiations. Jeffries responded online, stating: “Bigotry will get you nowhere.

Cancel the Cuts. Lower the Cost. Save Healthcare. We are NOT backing down. ” Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer added: “If you think your shutdown is a joke, it just proves what we all know: You can’t negotiate. You can only throw tantrums. ” Vance dismissed the backlash, telling reporters, “I think it’s funny, ” and added that the memes would cease if Democrats agreed to reopen the government. Also read: Troller-in-chief Donald Trump on a roll as social media dumpster fire consumes US Trump’s fixation on AI aligns with his open endorsement of Project 2025, a hard-right agenda he previously sought to distance himself from during the 2024 campaign. On Truth Social, Trump wrote that he was consulting with Vought “to determine which of the many Democrat Agencies, most of which are a political SCAM, he recommends to be cut. ” The administration has already begun leveraging the shutdown to accelerate mass layoffs of federal workers and cancel billions in projects within Democratic states. Civil rights groups warned that Trump’s memes go beyond juvenile trolling. A joint statement from leading Latino organizations said: “Targeting the Latino community is not only irresponsible—it is reprehensible and beneath the office of the presidency. The troubling use of AI to amplify hateful stereotypes is reckless and designed to stigmatize Latinos. ” For Trump’s critics, the president’s latest actions illustrate how he is weaponizing AI not only to mock opponents but also to redefine political crises on his own terms. End of Article Follow Us On Social Media