Donald Trump, a prominent figure in American politics, recently made headlines with his strong accusation against Iran, claiming they’re using artificial intelligence (AI) as a “disinformation weapon” to distort their wartime achievements. This isn’t just a casual remark; it’s a serious allegation from a former president, highlighting how emerging technologies are now intertwined with international relations and propaganda. Trump, known for his unfiltered communication style, vividly described stumbling upon a video—likely on social media—that depicted the USS Abraham Lincoln, a massive US aircraft carrier, under a simulated attack and ablaze. The image was clearly unsettling enough for him to bring it up publicly, suggesting the power these AI-generated visuals can hold, even over seasoned leaders.
Speaking at the Trump-Kennedy Center, Trump didn’t mince words about his concerns regarding Iran. He admitted that until recently, he wasn’t fully aware of what he described as Iran’s deep-rooted history of disinformation. Now, he’s seeing this strategy evolve with the integration of AI, which he views as a “terrible situation.” He recounted how these AI-powered fabrications showed events that “never happened,” like fictional “kamikaze boats” engaging in nonexistent attacks and the dramatic, yet entirely false, destruction of the USS Abraham Lincoln. The sheer detail and apparent realism of these videos, showing buildings in Tel Aviv, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia burning, deeply troubled him. It was, as he put it, his “first glimpse of AI and what they’ve done with it,” illustrating a stark realization of the technology’s potential for deception. His immediate reaction was to call a military general, asking, “General, what’s with the Abraham Lincoln? It looks like it’s burning down,” only to be reassured that the ship was perfectly fine, “not a bullet was ever fired at it.” This incident underscores the palpable confusion and alarm that such sophisticated disinformation can sow.
This revelation from a former president naturally sparked considerable debate and concern. Sky News’ US correspondent Mark Stone pointedly questioned the nature of the content Trump is “absorbing and believing on social media,” touching upon a broader societal issue of discerning truth from fiction in the digital age. Trump himself acknowledged the inherent dangers of AI, telling reporters on Air Force One that “AI can be very dangerous; we have to be very careful with it.” He further expanded on his concerns in a post on his Truth Social platform, directly criticizing Western media outlets for allegedly spreading AI-generated “fake news.” In his characteristic style, Trump asserted that Iran, despite being “militarily ineffective and weak,” is exceptionally skilled at “media manipulation and public relations,” particularly in feeding what he calls the “very appreciative Fake News Media” with false information. He explicitly identified AI as another potent “disinformation weapon” for Iran, enabling them to create convincing yet entirely fabricated scenarios of military prowess.
Trump’s Truth Social post went into greater detail about the specific AI-generated content he was referring to. He described seeing “phony ‘Kamikaze Boats,’ shooting at various Ships at Sea,” which appeared “wonderful, powerful, and vicious,” yet he maintained that “these Boats don’t exist — It’s all false information to show how ‘tough’ their already defeated Military is!” He elaborated further, stating that “Buildings and Ships that are shown to be on fire are not — It’s FAKE NEWS, generated by A.I.” The image that clearly stuck with him most was Iran, allegedly “working in close coordination with the Fake News Media,” showing “our great USS Abraham Lincoln Aircraft Carrier…burning uncontrollably in the Ocean.” He vehemently reiterated that “Not only was it not burning, it was not even shot at — Iran knows better than to do that!” In a dramatic escalation of his rhetoric, Trump suggested that media outlets disseminating such “knowingly FAKE” stories should be “brought up on Charges for TREASON for the dissemination of false information,” a serious accusation that highlights his deep frustration and anger over what he perceives as deliberate deception.
Interestingly, Reuters reported on earlier incidents that involved alleged Iranian aggression, verifying images from the Iraqi port of Basra showing “explosive-laden Iranian boats appearing to attack two fuel tankers, killing at least one crew member.” They also noted that “Iranian state media did claim that Iran’s military struck the USS Abraham Lincoln, though the claim was not widely picked up by Western outlets.” These reports offer a complex backdrop to Trump’s accusations, suggesting that while Iranian state media might indeed propagate claims of military action, the specific AI-generated video Trump described appears to be a distinct and more technologically advanced form of deception. Trump, however, remained resolute in his belief that “Iran is being decimated, and the only battles they ‘win’ are those that they create through AI, and are distributed by Corrupt Media Outlets.” He then broadened his critique to include the “Radical Leftwing Press,” which he believes “knows this full well, but continues to go forward with false stories and LIES.”
In a characteristic pivot, Trump then used this issue to cast doubt on the credibility of mainstream media, arguing that their alleged dissemination of false narratives contributes to their “low Approval Rating” and, by extension, strengthens his own political standing, stating, “I can win a Presidential Election, IN A LANDSLIDE, getting only 5% positive Press — They have no credibility!” He concluded his impassioned statement by commending Brendan Carr, the Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), for “looking at the licenses of some of these Corrupt and Highly Unpatriotic ‘News’ Organizations.” Trump’s frustration with what he views as media bias and dishonesty, which he claims is exacerbated by AI-generated disinformation, is clear. His remarks about these organizations “get[ting] Billions of Dollars of FREE American Airwaves, and use it to perpetuate LIES” — even extending to “Late Night Morons” — encapsulate his long-standing battle with the press. This incident, therefore, not only highlights the growing threat of AI-driven disinformation in global politics but also serves as another chapter in Trump’s ongoing narrative about media integrity and political warfare.