Topline<\/p>\n
President Donald Trump on Sunday fired off another bizarre string of mostly AI-generated posts targeting former President Barack Obama and top Democratic leaders, and also threatening Iran, in his latest posting spree using AI-generated images, some of which have triggered intense criticism and controversy.<\/p>\n
President Donald Trump once again shared more than a dozen AI-generated posts in the space of an hour and half.<\/p>\n
Getty ImagesKey Facts<\/p>\n
Between 4 p.m. and 5:30 p.m EDT, Trump fired off more than 20 such posts with AI-generated images or video clips mocking his political enemies and Iran\u2019s military.<\/p>\n
The president also attacked California Gov. Gavin Newsom, with AI images depicting him as a zombie<\/a> and referring to his state as \u201cThe Once Golden State,\u201d and another depicting him<\/a> in a padded room in a mental health facility surrounded by the word Trump.<\/p>\n Despite his administration\u2019s recent UFO files release being dismissed as a \u201cnothing burger<\/a>,\u201d the president appeared to reference it again with an AI-generated image <\/a>depicting him walking alongside a handcuffed alien at a military facility.<\/p>\n President Donald Trump posted this image on his Truth Social handle on Sunday May 17, 2026.<\/p>\n Truth Social, @realDonaldTrumpWhat About Trump\u2019s Posts Threatening Iran?<\/p>\n Aside from his political rivals, the posting spree also included a series of posts directed at Iran. Earlier on Sunday, Trump had warned<\/a> Tehran that \u201cthe Clock is Ticking, and they better get moving, FAST, or there won\u2019t be anything left of them. TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE!\u201d Although Trump did not elaborate on this threat, his AI-generated posts reiterated his claims of destroying the Iranian navy and depicted<\/a> dozens of Iran-flagged boats at the bottom of the ocean. The president also shared images portraying U.S. drones destroying Iran\u2019s fast boats and an AI-generated video clip showing a U.S. ship shooting down an Iranian drone with a laser, cut with a clip of Trump saying \u201cboom<\/a>.\u201d A few other posts depicted Trump using the Space Force to launch an attack from space, resulting in a mushroom cloud somewhere on the Earth, but it doesn\u2019t specifically mention Iran.<\/p>\n How Has Iran Responded To Trump\u2019s Posts?<\/p>\n While Iranian officials have not directly commented on Trump\u2019s latest threat, the official account of the spokesperson for the country\u2019s foreign ministry shared a clip on X<\/a> appearing to mock the president. The clip is from the 2024 film \u201cThe Apprentice,\u201d a biopic of the president\u2019s early career, and it shows a young Trump being told \u201cNo matter how beaten you are. You claim victory and never admit defeat\u2026You want to win. That\u2019s how you win.\u201d The clip was shared a few hours after Trump\u2019s \u201cClock is Ticking\u201d warning.<\/p>\n How Has Newsom Responded Trump\u2019s Ai Posts?<\/p>\n The official account for Newsom\u2019s press office, share a screenshot of the Trump walking with alien post and wrote<\/a>: \u201cThe President of the United States just posted this. Do you think he\u2019s lost it?\u201d The account also responded<\/a> the the post depicting Newsom as a zombie and calling him \u201cNewscum,\u201d writing: \u201cEven a Zombie Newscum still looks healthier than our current President.\u201d<\/p>\n Section Title<\/p>\n The president has repeatedly courted controversy over his AI-generated posts, and he has been forced to delete some of them after facing pushback. The biggest such controversy erupted last month after Trump made a post depicting himself as Jesus Christ<\/a>, amid his feud with Pope Leo XIV. The president eventually took down the post after facing a torrent of criticism from people across the political sphere. However, shortly after that Trump posted other AI-generated image depicting him<\/a> being embraced by Jesus in front of an American flag. Earlier this month, Trump shared a series<\/a> of AI generate images depicting himself and other member of his cabinet swimming in the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool. The president also shared<\/a> an AI-generated caricature last week, showing Biden asleep at the Oval Office desk while he\u2019s surrounded by former President Barack Obama and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, while someone else signs what appears to be a presidential order. Obama was shown holding a box that says \u201cautopen,\u201d boosting unsubstantiated claims that autopen signatures were used on executive orders during the Biden presidency to hide his alleged cognitive decline and allow others to exercise presidential authority.<\/p>\n Further Reading<\/p>\n