AI-generated video falsely claims Donald Trump banned Tesla production
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A manipulated video featuring U.S. President Donald Trump has gone viral online, falsely depicting him announcing a ban on Tesla car production and attacking CEO Elon Musk.
The AI-generated video, which shows Trump calling Musk a "snake" and referring to Tesla vehicles as "junk cars," has sparked widespread confusion and controversy.
In the clip, Trump appears to claim he will immediately halt Tesla manufacturing in the U.S. and alleges that Musk is profiting unfairly in the country. He also suggests that he purchased a Tesla solely to secure Musk’s support for the 2024 elections.
However, fact-checkers quickly debunked the video, confirming it was fabricated using artificial intelligence. The footage was uploaded to AI detection platforms like Hive Moderation, which identified it as 99.8% likely to be AI-generated. Contrails.ai also verified the use of voice cloning technology, citing audio inconsistencies as a telltale sign.
The clip gained traction amid rumors of a personal rift between Trump and Musk. Some reports even claimed Trump sold the Tesla Model S delivered to the White House in Musk’s presence—a claim later denied.
The vehicle delivery, which took place on March 11 at the South Grounds of the White House, reportedly occurred shortly after Musk informed Trump’s advisers of his intent to donate $100 million to organisations aligned with Trump’s political interests.