"During a wave of posts and reposts to Truth Social on Wednesday, President Donald Trump's account twice shared an apparently AI-generated, news-style video claiming Walmart is shutting down 250 stores across California due to the state's policy choices. One of Trump's posts included a screenshot of a commentator calling it, "More bad news for Gavin Newson," aka Newsom, California governor and the president's most prominent Democratic foil."
"The Walmart video is riddled with red flags, including the implausible claim and the fact the computerized-sounding voice that doesn't quite match the mouth of the speaker. But it apparently looked realistic enough for Trump to share. It has a tabloid-y headline, a news-graphic-style thumbnail and a serious-sounding voice. A seemingly AI-generated news anchor opens with the Walmart claim, and then delivers a classic antiestablishment spiel."
The Trump administration deployed artificial intelligence to fabricate images and ads, and the president amplified AI-generated videos targeting California. President Trump's Truth Social account reshared a news-style video that falsely claimed Walmart would close 250 stores in California, accompanied by a commentator screenshot criticizing Governor Gavin Newsom. Walmart denied widespread closures and confirmed a new store opening. Newsom's office condemned the posts and flagged another video as AI-made alleging a drug-money laundering scheme. The Walmart video included mismatched computerized voice, tabloid graphics, and a fake anchor urging subscriptions, yet it appeared credible enough to be shared.
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