Media Comments On Trump’s Use Of Photos
It seems former President Donald Trump has stirred up quite the online frenzy with his latest social media posts.
On Sunday, Trump shared a collage of images on his Truth Social account that depicted pop superstar Taylor Swift and her fans—known as "Swifties"—seemingly showing support for his 2024 campaign. But here’s the kicker: some of these images were AI-generated, and the response has been anything but quiet.
So, what exactly did Trump post? One of the images was a play on the famous Uncle Sam recruitment poster, except this time, it was Taylor Swift dressed in red, white, and blue with the caption, "Taylor Swift Wants You To Vote For Donald Trump."
Trump captioned his post with a simple yet loaded phrase: "I accept!" He also shared a satirical headline and fake images from an X user that claimed, "Swifties turning to Trump after ISIS foiled Taylor Swift concert," complete with fans in "Swifties for Trump" t-shirts.
Now, while Trump’s post might have been intended as a light-hearted jab or even tongue-in-cheek, it certainly didn’t go over quietly. Media outlets and Swift’s fans were quick to react. Headlines from major news sources like NBC News and Rolling Stone were all over it, pointing out that Trump was promoting a fake endorsement from Swift. Teen Vogue called it a "Bizarre A.I. Stunt," and HuffPost suggested that Trump had been "duped" by the AI-generated images.
The backlash didn’t stop with the media. Swifties, especially those who are politically active, were not thrilled. One notable reaction came from "Swifties for Kamala," a group on X supporting Kamala Harris.
Co-founder Irene Kim made it clear that they didn’t need AI to show their support for Harris, subtly suggesting that Trump’s attempt to rally Swift’s fan base might have missed the mark.
For those who might be wondering if Swift has jumped on the Trump train—well, that’s highly unlikely. Swift has a history of endorsing Democratic candidates and has been vocal about her political views in recent years.
Back in 2020, she endorsed Joe Biden for president and criticized Trump for what she saw as his role in stoking division in the country. Given her past statements and political activity, it’s safe to say that an endorsement for Trump isn’t on the horizon.