US President Donald Trump has raised concerns about how artificial intelligence could be a convenient scapegoat for political debate and how it will use technology to distract accountability.
Speaking at the White House this week, Trump was asked about a viral video that appears to be showing a bag being thrown out of the window of his presidential residence. Authorities had already explained it was a routine maintenance, but Trump dismissed the clip, saying, “probably it was generated.” He joked that the White House windows were sealed and bulletproof, and even First Lady Melania Trump complained that he couldn't open them because of the fresh air.
But Trump has further framed AI as both a threat and an excuse. “One of the problems we have with AI is both the good and the bad. If something really bad happens, we just blame the AI,” he said, suggesting that future scandals could be put aside as artificial manufacturing.
This casual layoff reflects an upward trend in Trump's relationship with AI. In July he reposted a manufactured video that misprinted former President Barack Obama's arrest in an oval office. He also admitted that from childhood to the present he was fooled by a lifelong video montage made by his own machines.
Experts warn that as Deepfark technology becomes increasingly sophisticated, it could destabilise politics by eroding public confidence in the real world. If leaders start labeling inconvenient evidence to AI, whether true or not, the outcome can be an option for accountability and a dangerous precedent in which facts are infinitely contested.
For Trump, AI appears to represent both risk and opportunity. He acknowledges his ability to create “fake things,” but he also appears to see it as a ready-made shield to future controversy. In his own words, the solution may be simple: “It's just accusing AI.”
