The Rise of AI-Generated Content in Political Discourse
In recent months, the internet has been flooded with bizarre and surreal images generated by artificial intelligence. These include scenarios such as the FBI arresting Barack Obama in the Oval Office, the devastated Gaza Strip transformed into a luxury seaside resort, or Donald Trump as a Jedi, Superman, or even wearing Sydney Sweeney’s American Eagle jeans. These images are not just confined to obscure social media accounts; they have also been shared by high-profile figures, including the president and his closest allies.
Even the White House’s official accounts have joined this trend, showcasing a communication style that heavily relies on AI-generated comedic visuals. This approach often uses pop culture references to ridicule political opponents and marginalized groups. As a result, Donald Trump has become known as the “troller-in-chief” of the world.
Desensitization and Dehumanization Through Humor
The use of humor in political discourse is not new. In the lead-up to the 2016 US presidential election, memes became a powerful tool within online alt-right communities. Symbols like Pepe the Frog emerged as rallying points for a fringe group that found its leader in Donald Trump. With the advent of sophisticated generative AI models, meme production has taken a significant leap forward. These models enable the creation of manipulated and fictional content aimed at targeting political enemies.
Researchers have observed that AI-generated visuals often target women, the LGBTQ+ community, racial minorities, and immigrants. These images attempt to demonize and dehumanize these groups. For instance, immigrant men are frequently depicted as scary monsters, while women are shown with distorted weight and age-related features, often in an unflattering manner.
According to Kurt Sengul, a researcher at Macquarie University in Australia, "Humour can be a way of disciplining and alienating those who are seen as Others." His research focuses on the political communication of far-right populism.
A Case of Controversy: The White House's Role
In March, the White House's official X account announced the arrest of Virginia Basora-Gonzalez, an undocumented immigrant. The account later shared a Ghibli-style AI-generated image of Basora-Gonzalez crying while in handcuffs. This move sparked widespread outrage, with one user commenting, “This is far beneath the Presidency,” a post that received over 4,000 likes.
However, many Trump supporters praised the image. One person wrote, “Whoever runs this account deserves a raise,” while another remarked, “This is phenomenal. If you're here illegally, this can happen to you. Don't come here illegally. Don't be the next cartoon!”
The Real Policies Behind the Memes
While the Trump administration entertains its base with fictionalized content, real policies are being implemented. During his 2024 campaign, Trump promised “the largest mass deportation in US history.” Thousands of people have been deported since January 2025, some to countries that are not their own, where they may face human rights abuses.
White House press aide Kaelan Dorr stated, “The arrests will continue. The memes will continue.” Nathan Taylor Pemberton, in a recent column for the New York Times, noted that the key ingredient in this online environment is extremism, ranging from nativism to racial science to casual neo-Nazism and textbook misogyny.
The Role of Generative AI in Political Humor
Generative AI has become a powerful tool that allows Trump’s anti-woke visual humor to escalate further while creating an ecosystem where nothing is serious. According to Sengul, if someone gets upset, it’s because they are “humourless and 'can’t take a joke.'”
Elon Musk’s brief stint as the de facto head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) might have helped bring this AI-powered comedic pop culture into the White House. Musk’s AI company, founded in 2023, owns X’s AI chatbot Grok. His apparent Nazi salute was also responsible for one of the first “memeified” moments of Trump’s second term.
However, Sengul suggests that this is a case of the chicken or the egg. “The online far-right’s memetic warfare and use of humour was well underway before Elon Musk’s pivot towards Trump and MAGA,” he says.
Glorifying Trump Through AI
In this ecosystem, Trump is the king. When he does not use AI memes against his adversaries, he represents himself as a Jedi or, most recently, Superman. AI-generated visuals allow Trump to construct a superhuman persona, portraying him as an idealized leader with extraordinary qualities.
According to Noureddin Yeilaghi and Yi Mou from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, this strategy helps Trump inspire others. Leaders like Argentina’s Javier Milei and El Salvador’s Nayib Bukele have also used AI to depict themselves as superheroes.
In Europe, far-right parties like Germany’s Alternative für Deutschland have not waited for Trump to push narratives of foreign invasion using AI. Whether the Trump administration eventually grows tired of this tasteless humor or continues to push comedic boundaries, one thing is certain: We’ve been trolled.