logo
Trump shares AI video showing Obama arrest amid renewed attacks on Obama-era officials

Trump shares AI video showing Obama arrest amid renewed attacks on Obama-era officials

Express Tribune7 days ago
US President Donald Trump speaks at a dinner with Republican Senators, in the State Dining Room at the White House in Washington, D.C., US, July 18, 2025. Photo: Reuters
President Donald Trump on Sunday shared an AI-generated video falsely portraying former President Barack Obama being arrested and imprisoned, as part of a broader push to revive claims of misconduct by the Obama administration.
The video, originally created by a pro-MAGA TikTok user, was posted to Trump's Truth Social account. It features manipulated footage of Obama being taken into custody by the FBI during a 2016 meeting with Trump in the Oval Office, followed by scenes showing him in a prison jumpsuit. The footage is set to the Village People's 'YMCA,' a song frequently used at Trump rallies.
The video post came amid a broader campaign by Trump and his allies to reignite allegations against Obama-era officials. Over the weekend, Trump posted repeatedly about claims made by his Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard. On Friday, Gabbard announced she had referred several Obama-era officials to the Justice Department for prosecution, alleging they manipulated intelligence about Russian interference in the 2016 election.
She claimed newly declassified documents showed that the Obama administration 'politicized intelligence' to lay the groundwork for what she described as a 'years-long coup' against Trump.
Many Democrats have strongly rejected those allegations. Senator Mark Warner (D-VA), the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, called the accusations unfounded and said it was 'an effort to cook the books.'
🚨 JUST IN: President Trump posted an AI video of Barack Obama being ARRESTED by FBI and rotting in a prison cell
MAKE THIS A REALITY, @AGPamBondi! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/E72YOBpcrO — Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) July 20, 2025
Some critics, including within Trump's base, have questioned the timing of the announcement, suggesting it was an attempt to divert attention from renewed scrutiny over the Trump administration's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files.
Despite that, Trump doubled down on his attacks, also posting edited images of former Obama officials in orange jumpsuits and suggesting Democratic Senator Adam Schiff should be imprisoned.
Trump, who was convicted in May 2024 on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, is currently appealing the verdict. Nevertheless, he continues to use his platform to push narratives against his political opponents—now increasingly with AI-generated media.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Feds raid TikTok cult pastor Robert Shinn's home amid sex trafficking allegations
Feds raid TikTok cult pastor Robert Shinn's home amid sex trafficking allegations

Express Tribune

time2 hours ago

  • Express Tribune

Feds raid TikTok cult pastor Robert Shinn's home amid sex trafficking allegations

Federal agents raided the Tujunga residence of pastor Robert Shinn early Friday morning as part of an ongoing sex trafficking investigation linked to allegations spotlighted in the 2024 Netflix documentary Dancing for the Devil: The 7M TikTok Cult. The home, located at 7744 McGroarty Street, was searched at 6 a.m. by officials from the FBI, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and El Monte Police Department SWAT. According to authorities, the sealed warrant includes accusations of sex trafficking, mail fraud, tax evasion, money laundering, and pandemic-related schemes. 'U.S. Postal Inspection Service is working closely with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners on this ongoing investigation,' said Postal Inspector Patricia Mendoza. 'This remains an active case.' Robert Shinn is the founder of the Shekinah Church and CEO of 7M Films, a management company that recruits dancers and influencers. In the Netflix docuseries, several former members accused Shinn of coercion, financial exploitation, and unwanted sexual advances. Allegations in Dancing for the Devil included claims that Shinn exercised extreme control over the dancers' lives—managing their money, housing, relationships, and careers. Some also described experiences of grooming and psychological manipulation. Despite the raid, no arrests have been made as of Friday afternoon, and federal officials have not confirmed if charges will follow. The investigation remains ongoing.

Thailand and Cambodia to hold talks on deadly border conflict in Malaysia
Thailand and Cambodia to hold talks on deadly border conflict in Malaysia

Express Tribune

time4 hours ago

  • Express Tribune

Thailand and Cambodia to hold talks on deadly border conflict in Malaysia

Military vehicles are seen in Sisaket province, as Cambodia and Thailand each said the other had launched artillery attacks across contested border areas early on Sunday, hours after US President Donald Trump said the leaders of both countries had agreed to work on a ceasefire, Thailand, July 27, 2025. Photo: Reuters Listen to article The leaders of Thailand and Cambodia will attend mediation talks over their deadly border conflict in Malaysia on Monday, the Thai government said, even as both sides accused each other of launching fresh artillery strikes across contested areas. Talks are scheduled to begin at 3 pm local time (0700 GMT) on Monday, with acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai leading the Thai negotiating team, the government announced in a statement on Sunday night. Malaysia, which chairs the ASEAN regional cooperation forum, has informed the Thai government that Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet would also be attending the talks, the statement said. Also Read: US, China to resume tariff talks in effort to extend truce Tensions between Thailand and Cambodia have intensified since the late-May killing of a Cambodian soldier during a brief border skirmish. Border troops on both sides were reinforced amid a full-blown diplomatic crisis that brought Thailand's fragile coalition government to the brink of collapse. Hostilities resumed on Thursday and, within just four days, escalated into the worst fighting between the Southeast Asian neighbours in more than a decade. The death toll has risen above 30, including 13 civilians in Thailand and eight in Cambodia, while authorities report that more than 200,000 people have been evacuated from border areas. Monday's talks come after Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim last week proposed a ceasefire and US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that the two leaders had agreed to work on a ceasefire. Calls for peace Bangkok and Phnom Penh have each accused the other side of sparking last week's hostilities. Cambodia's Defence Ministry said Thailand had shelled and launched ground assaults on Sunday morning at a number of points along the border. The ministry's spokesperson said heavy artillery was fired at historic temple complexes. "For me, I think it is great if Thailand agreed to stop fighting so both countries can live with peace," Phnom Penh university student Sreung Nita told Reuters. The Thai army said Cambodian forces had fired shots into several areas, including near civilian homes, on Sunday, and were mobilising long-range rocket launchers. "The situation remains tense and Cambodian troops may be preparing intensified military operations to inflict maximum damage in the final stages before negotiations," the army said in an update. In the Thai province of Sisaket, Reuters reporters heard shelling throughout Sunday and said it was unclear which side of the border it was on. Read: Israel announces daily pauses in Gaza fighting as aid airdrops begin A government health clinic about 10 km (6 miles) from the border had shattered windows, collapsed walls and exposed wiring. Local media reported it was hit by artillery on Saturday, two days after the building and surrounding neighbourhood was evacuated. Only a few men remained to look after their homes, camping near a makeshift bunker they had dug for protection. Intermittent sounds of artillery fire could be heard in the distance. "It's great that America is insisting on the ceasefire because it would bring peace," Sisaket resident Thavorn Toosawan told Reuters. Thailand and Cambodia have bickered for decades over undemarcated points along their 817-km (508-mile) land border, with ownership of the ancient Hindu temples Ta Moan Thom and the 11th century Preah Vihear central to the disputes. Preah Vihear was awarded to Cambodia by the International Court of Justice in 1962, but the situation worsened in 2008 after Cambodia attempted to list it as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Skirmishes over several years brought at least a dozen deaths. Cambodia said in June it had asked the International Court of Justice to resolve its disputes with Thailand. Bangkok says it has never recognised the court's jurisdiction and prefers a bilateral approach.

US, China to resume tariff talks in effort to extend truce
US, China to resume tariff talks in effort to extend truce

Express Tribune

time5 hours ago

  • Express Tribune

US, China to resume tariff talks in effort to extend truce

US and Chinese flags and a "tariffs" label are seen in this illustration created on April 10, 2025. Photo: Reuters Listen to article Senior US and Chinese negotiators meet in Stockholm on Monday to tackle longstanding economic disputes at the centre of the countries' trade war, aiming to extend a truce keeping sharply higher tariffs at bay. China is facing an August 12 deadline to reach a durable tariff agreement with President Donald Trump's administration, after Beijing and Washington reached a preliminary deal in June to end weeks of escalating tit-for-tat tariffs. Without an agreement, global supply chains could face renewed turmoil from duties exceeding 100%. The Stockholm talks, led by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, take place a day after European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen meets Trump at his golf course in Scotland to try to clinch a deal that would likely see a 15% baseline tariff on most EU goods. Also Read: Israel announces daily pauses in Gaza fighting as aid airdrops begin Trade analysts on both sides of the Pacific say the discussions in the Swedish capital are unlikely to produce any breakthroughs but could prevent further escalation and help create conditions for Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping to meet later this year. Previous US-China trade talks in Geneva and London in May and June focused on bringing US and Chinese retaliatory tariffs down from triple-digit levels and restoring the flow of rare earth minerals halted by China and Nvidia (NVDA.O), opens new tab H20 AI chips and other goods halted by the United States. So far, the talks have not delved into broader economic issues. They include US complaints that China's state-led, export-driven model is flooding world markets with cheap goods, and Beijing's complaints that US national security export controls on tech goods seek to stunt Chinese growth. "Stockholm will be the first meaningful round of US-China trade talks," said Bo Zhengyuan, Shanghai-based partner at China consultancy firm Plenum. Trump has been successful in pressuring some other trading partners, including Japan, Vietnam and the Philippines, into deals accepting higher US tariffs of 15% to 20%. He said there was a 50-50 chance that the US and the 27-member European Union could also reach a framework trade pact, adding that Brussels wanted to "make a deal very badly". Read: Six killed, scores injured in Indian temple stampede Two of Trump's top trade officials, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, will attend the Scotland talks and then travel to Stockholm. Analysts say the US-China negotiations are far more complex and will require more time. China's grip on the global market for rare earth minerals and magnets, used in everything from military hardware to car windshield wiper motors, has proved to be an effective leverage point on US industries. Trump-Xi meeting? In the background of the talks is speculation about a possible meeting between Trump and Xi in late October. Trump has said he will decide soon whether to visit China in a landmark trip to address trade and security tensions. A new flare-up of tariffs and export controls would likely derail any plans for a meeting with Xi. "The Stockholm meeting is an opportunity to start laying the groundwork for a Trump visit to China," said Wendy Cutler, vice president at the Asia Society Policy Institute. Bessent has already said he wants to work out an extension of the August 12 deadline to prevent tariffs snapping back to 145% on the US side and 125% on the Chinese side. Still, China will likely request a reduction of multi-layered US tariffs totaling 55% on most goods and further easing of US high-tech export controls, analysts said. Beijing has argued that such purchases would help reduce the US trade deficit with China, which reached $295.5 billion in 2024. Also Read: Drone debris disrupts trains, suspends flights in Volgograd China is currently facing a 20% tariff related to the US fentanyl crisis, a 10% reciprocal tariff, and 25% duties on most industrial goods imposed during Trump's first term. Bessent has also said he would discuss with He the need for China to rebalance its economy away from exports toward domestic consumer demand. The shift would require China to put an end to a protracted property crisis and boost social safety nets to encourage household spending. Michael Froman, a former US trade representative during Barack Obama's administration, said such a shift has been a goal of US policymakers for two decades. "Can we effectively use tariffs to get China to fundamentally change their economic strategy? That remains to be seen," said Froman, now president of the Council on Foreign Relations think-tank.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store