False statements, old and new

Trump's return to office has brought a familiar pattern of trump false claims, per the review: recycled conspiracy theories about the 2020 election sit alongside misleading statements on immigration and foreign conflicts.

The review documented a wide range of unproven or false assertions:

• •He claimed Haitian migrants in Springfield, Ohio were eating cats and dogs during the 2024 campaign; no credible evidence supported the allegation, and he later shared an AI-generated video of himself embracing cats and dogs.
• •He blamed unrest in France on Muslim immigrants despite a lack of supporting evidence.
• •He falsely said the United States is the only country granting birthright citizenship, though the principle exists across much of the Americas.
• •He repeatedly promoted claims of a "white genocide" in South Africa that lack credible evidence.

During a White House meeting with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Trump presented misleading material, including an article showing events in the Democratic Republic of Congo rather than South Africa.

AI turned on opponents

Since returning to the White House, Trump has used artificial intelligence to attack political opponents, promote his agenda and glorify his own image.

A Reuters review found Trump mentioned his predecessor Joe Biden around 900 times between returning to office and September 2026, repeatedly calling him "Crooked Joe" or "Sleepy Joe" and sharing AI-generated images depicting him negatively.

The targets extended further. Trump shared a racist AI-generated video depicting Barack and Michelle Obama as apes, then said he did not see that part of the clip. He also targeted Nancy Pelosi, Gavin Newsom and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, including an AI-edited image appearing to show Meloni gazing adoringly at him.

Self-glorifying images

The AI content also flattered the president himself, portraying him as everything from a king and Superman to the Pope.

One image depicted Trump dropping excrement on protesters taking part in the "No Kings" demonstrations.

Another showed him in a Jesus-like pose, apparently healing a sick man in a hospital bed. The picture angered Christians and Catholic conservatives, among them some of his own supporters. Trump pushed back against the idea that it depicted Jesus, put the blame on the "fake news media" and said he thought it was "him as a doctor".

Media and institutions in the crosshairs

Trump's attacks on media continued in his second term. He sought to restrict CNN, Politico and MS NOW's access to the White House, accusing them of repeatedly reporting falsehoods. In a Truth Social video, he called a female Bloomberg journalist "piggy" after she questioned him about the Jeffrey Epstein files. On NBC's Meet the Press, asked to provide evidence for his allegation that California's mayoral race was rigged, he made further false assertions before walking out.

Even the Pope was not spared: in a late-night Truth Social post, Trump criticised the pontiff as "weak on crime" and said he preferred the Pope's brother for his MAGA stance.

After proposing a US takeover of Gaza, Trump shared an AI video of the territory as a luxury seaside resort called "Trump Gaza", showing himself alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Elon Musk.

The meme-making reached official government channels, with White House and official accounts sharing AI-generated images and memes of their own, including content making light of immigration enforcement.

That was the White House's response to criticism of its AI-generated posts.