Kathrine Frich
The voice sounds totally authentic, but it never came from the president.
Seeing is no longer believing when it comes to videos on the internet.
Technology can now mimic famous figures with alarming accuracy, leaving audiences to guess what is real.
Sometimes, even the people involved seem to blur those lines.
A familiar voice
President Donald Trump recently shared a promotional video with his millions of followers. The new clip heavily praised a government mortgage giant.
Listeners immediately recognized the distinct tone of the president speaking. According to HuffPost, a narrator claims the president will “go down as the greatest housing president in history” before the familiar voice takes over.
The voice then delivers a nostalgic message about homeownership. “America was built one home at a time, I believe that because the American Dream was never just an idea,” the voice says in the video.
Missing the warning
The voice sounds totally authentic, but it never came from the president. The Associated Press reported earlier this year that artificial intelligence created the audio.
Housing Director Bill Pulte originally shared the advertisement on the X platform in January with a clear warning. Viewers saw a label at the bottom of the screen. It stated, “The audio of President Trump is AI generated and used with permission.”
That changed when the president uploaded the clip to Truth Social on Monday. HuffPost noted that the crucial warning label was completely missing from the video shown to his followers.
Questions of authenticity
The administration previously approved the use of artificial intelligence to replicate the president for this campaign. Yet, it remains unknown exactly which software created the deepfake.
HuffPost reported that it is unclear if the White House has approved similar synthetic audio for other materials. The publication reached out to officials for comment but has not received an explanation.
The president frequently posts artificial intelligence content and openly praises the technology. He claimed in 2024 that a computer program rewrote one of his speeches beautifully, vowing to use it again.
An authentic platform
The situation creates a strange contrast for the administration’s messaging strategy. White House spokesperson Davis Ingle recently defended the president’s social media habits during an interview last month.
Ingle told HuffPost that the platform succeeds because “it serves as President Trump’s authentic voice.”
Now, that very same platform is broadcasting a synthetic voice without any warning to the public. It leaves voters guessing what is real and what is generated.
Sources: HuffPost, The Associated Press
