President Donald Trump has leaned heavily into artificial intelligence, not only in policy but also in political imagery. From memes about Chicago to mock religious portraits, Trump has laughed off criticism, dismissing the images as jokes. His lighthearted tone, however, has not quieted concerns about how AI blurs the line between real and fake.

John Wihbey, director of the AI-Media Strategies Lab at Northeastern University, said Trump’s posts reflect “a new phenomenon, the merging of social media and AI power, organized for political power and narrative dominance.”

From AI policy to propaganda

In September, Trump unveiled a 28-page AI action plan designed to accelerate American leadership in the technology. The White House described it as a strategy to unleash productivity, lower costs for goods and services, and outpace China. Trump presented it as a national priority.

The plan immediately drew backlash from within his own party. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia warned that AI would devastate American jobs and drain resources from the environment. Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri argued that the AI revolution was an assault on workers and faith, calling it a step toward a “transhumanist” future that undermines traditional values. Speaking at a conservative conference, he declared that “Americanism and the transhumanist revolution cannot coexist,” a line that drew applause from the audience.

Despite these warnings, Trump and his advisers have positioned themselves as accelerationists, favoring innovation and industry partnerships over caution. That divide has not only shaped debates in Congress but also set the stage for how Trump uses AI in his own messaging.

The “Chipocalypse Now” meme

On Sept. 6, Trump posted a meme threatening Chicago with a military crackdown, writing that the city would “find out why it’s called the Department of WAR.” The AI-generated image depicted him in sunglasses against the Chicago skyline, accompanied by the caption “Chipocalypse Now,” a play on the Vietnam War film Apocalypse Now.

The post drew swift criticism. Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Trump’s words amounted to authoritarian rhetoric and “not normal” behavior for an American president. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson accused Trump of wanting to occupy the city and break the Constitution. Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois described the imagery as “stolen valor,” pointing to the digitally added military garb.

Trump later sought to downplay the reaction. Speaking to reporters outside the White House before traveling to the U.S. Open, he said his comments had been misunderstood. “We’re not going to war,” Trump insisted. “We’re going to clean up our cities. We’re going to clean them up so they don’t kill five people every weekend. That’s not war. That’s common sense”. Still, the image, which also featured helicopters and flames over the skyline, left many alarmed about the president’s willingness to use violent imagery against an American city.

“Just a joke” or something more

The Chicago meme was not the first instance of Trump using AI-generated images to spark controversy. Earlier in the year, the White House posted an AI photo of Trump dressed as the pope, just weeks after the death of Pope Francis and as the Vatican prepared to choose a successor. The image showed Trump in white papal vestments, a mitre and a large cross, his finger raised in a gesture of authority.

Trump brushed off the criticism. Speaking to reporters in May, he said, “Somebody did it in fun. It’s fine. Have to have a little fun, don’t you?” The White House repeated that Trump had traveled to Italy to pay his respects at Pope Francis’s funeral and framed the post as lighthearted.Catholic leaders condemned the image as mocking their faith.

The New York State Catholic Conference said, “There is nothing clever or funny about this image. We just buried our beloved Pope Francis and the cardinals are about to enter a solemn conclave to elect a new successor of St. Peter. Do not mock us.”

The dangers of AI politics

Critics say Trump’s reliance on AI underscores how quickly manipulated visuals can distort public understanding. Unlike traditional photo-ops, which capture real events, AI images create scenes that never happened. Experts fear that widespread adoption by politicians could erode trust in authentic media and accelerate the spread of misinformation.

Allies of the president frame the posts as entertainment, arguing that Trump is trolling his critics and using humor to connect with his supporters. Yet researchers caution that the blending of social media with generative AI opens a new front in political communication.

“Politicians around the world will begin to use generative AI and social together in newfound ways,” Wihbey said. For voters trying to discern truth from fiction, that may mean the most viral political image of the day could be one that never existed at all.

References

• Mohar Chatterjee, “Trump loves AI, and the MAGA world is getting worried,” POLITICO, Sept. 13, 2025.
• Samantha Waldenberg, “Trump says Chicago ‘will find out why it’s called the Department of WAR,’” CNN, Sept. 6, 2025.
• Erica L. Green, “Trump Downplays Post Threatening Chicago, Saying He Wants to ‘Clean Up’ City,” New York Times, Sept. 7, 2025.
• Max Matza, “Trump criticised after posting AI image of himself as Pope,” BBC, May 4, 2025.
• James Oliphant and Steve Holland, “Trump calls AI pope image a joke, but experts say it’s no laughing matter,” Reuters, May 5, 2025.