Christine Drews Sieger
“Donald Trump sparked online backlash after sharing AI-generated images of himself alongside George Washington on Truth Social.
Donald Trump sparked widespread online backlash over the weekend after uploading several artificial intelligence images to Truth Social.
The 80-year-old president shared graphics showing himself alongside founding father George Washington across various fictitious scenarios, the Irish Star reports.
Among the generated imagery was a scene depicting Trump presenting plans for a $400 million presidential ballroom to the nation’s first leader.
Later posts depicted the pair riding horses near the executive mansion and examining a map together at a shared desk.
Historically, Washington himself never inhabited the presidential residence, given that building work was only finalized after his term had concluded.
The posts drew quick public backlash, with one X user writing, “This is something someone posts when they have completely lost their marbles.”
Dwindling ship supplies
The timing of the posts fueled anger as severe supply shortages surfaced among deployed service members.
Crew members aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln have faced harsh conditions while deployed in the Middle East.
The aircraft carrier has remained continuously at sea for over 240 days.
Relatives reported that crew members began rationing food in April, with one military spouse calling it a “scene out of the ‘American Horror Story’ where everybody is dead but they don’t know it yet.”
Online critics pointed to the contrast between leadership sharing AI images and sailors experiencing severe stress.
One commenter noted, “Sailors are at sea eating rotten food and trying to jump overboard, and this is what’s on the mind of the President of the United States,” the Irish Star reports.
Official response
Administration officials moved quickly to dismiss the growing concerns surrounding the warship.
Both Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth rejected the backlash; while Trump asserted the carrier’s record-breaking tour should continue even longer, Hegseth insisted that public accounts of shipboard distress were heavily exaggerated.
The response further angered families who maintain that service members face appalling circumstances, according to the Irish star.
Another AI controversy and criticism from Christian supporters
The reaction to the Washington graphics comes on the heels of another AI-related controversy for the president, as seen on BBC.
Donald Trump recently deleted a Truth Social post featuring an AI-generated image that depicted him in a white robe placing a glowing hand on a sick man’s forehead—a scene many interpreted as portraying him as a Jesus-like figure.
The post drew fierce backlash from both political opponents and prominent Christian supporters, who argued that the imagery crossed the line. Trump later defended himself to reporters, claiming he believed the image simply showed him “as a doctor” who “makes people better,” but noted he removed it to prevent further confusion.
The uproar coincided with public criticism Trump directed at Pope Leo XIV over the pontiff’s opposition to US military actions in Iran, adding fuel to the ongoing debate surrounding the president’s social media conduct.
