The Trump Campaign Went on an AI Image Spree Over the Labor Day Weekend

AI-generated images shared by Donald Trump and Elon Musk this weekend.

Presidential hopeful Donald Trump has posted a series of AI images over the Labor Day weekend, leaning on the technology to drive home his message to voters.

It began on Saturday when the Republican nominee shared an AI image of a long line outside of a hospital to Truth Social and Instagram. Text overlayed on the pictures reads: “Kamala Harris pledged free healthcare for illegals. They’re coming to collect.” The image is AI-generated which is obvious thanks to it looking more like an illustration than a photo and some of the details — like the vehicles and road signs — are distorted. The hospital does have a legible “emergency” sign on the facade. It’s unclear which AI image generator Trump’s team uses.

From Truth Social.

That same day (Saturday) saw Trump share an image of a man holding a knife walking behind a woman in a dark alley to X (formerly Twitter), Truth Social, and Instagram. The text reads: “No one is safe with Kamala’s open border.” While it’s not totally obvious the picture is AI-generated, no previous version of the image exists on the internet — according to Google reverse image search. There is also a storm drain on the floor that appears distorted.

From Truth Social.

Real Photos and Elon Musk

Also on Saturday, Trump shared a picture of a group of Muslim men burning the American flag. The caption reads: “Meet your new neighbors if Kamala wins.” This image is actually a real photo taken at a protest in 2012 in Karachi, Pakistan by Rizwan Tabassum for the AFP and Getty Images.

From X.

Elon Musk, who has endorsed Trump’s candidacy, shared an AI image of Harris wearing a communist uniform yesterday (Monday). “Kamala vows to be a communist dictator on day one. Can you believe she wears that outfit!?” Musk writes on the post.

From X.

It is worth noting that none of the AI images shared to Trump’s accounts or Elon Musk’s were marked as synthetic. Many on X were asking if Community Notes would label Musk’s image as an AI-generated parody but as of Tuesday, there is no such label.

The Trump campaign now appears to have fully embraced AI images as a communication method. It marks the first time ever the technology has been deployed during an election campaign.

Last month, Trump shared AI-generated images of young women wearing t-shirts emblazoned with the words “Swifties for Trump” in a post that falsely suggested the pop superstar Taylor Swift has endorsed him.