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Left-leaning social media users have been circulating an AI-generated audio clip that falsely portrays former President Donald Trump angrily demanding that U.S. officials block the release of documents related to Jeffrey Epstein, according to researchers who identified the deception on Friday.
The synthetic voice clip, which mimics Trump’s speech patterns, contains inflammatory statements including, “Not releasing the Epstein files. If I go down, I will bring all of you down with me.” This fabricated audio has spread widely across platforms such as Instagram and TikTok, garnering millions of views and thousands of comments from users who believed it to be authentic.
Disinformation watchdog NewsGuard has definitively labeled the audio “an AI-generated fake.” Their investigation revealed that the clip originated from a video showing telltale signs of being created with OpenAI’s text-to-video model Sora. After its initial posting by a liberal TikTok user, the clip was subsequently shared in multiple videos that removed Sora’s identifying watermarks, effectively “obscuring its AI origins,” according to the watchdog.
This isn’t the only piece of Epstein-related misinformation circulating on social media. Liberal users have also falsely attributed a quote to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, claiming she said, “It is not President Trump who is in the Epstein emails. It is another person with the same name.” This fabricated statement received over four million views on X (formerly Twitter) and gained significant traction on Instagram.
The White House officially refuted this claim, responding to one such post with the blunt statement: “No… she didn’t. You are a weapons grade moron.”
These incidents highlight how misinformation flows across the political spectrum in America’s increasingly polarized information environment. With reduced content moderation on many social platforms, distinguishing fact from fiction has become increasingly challenging for average users.
The backdrop to this wave of misinformation is renewed public interest in the Epstein case. Trump, who previously socialized with the disgraced financier, has maintained he had “nothing to do” with Epstein. After initially resisting calls to release government documents related to Epstein, Trump reversed course this week, signing legislation that requires his administration to make these records public.
Political insiders caution that despite the president’s signature on the bill, there remain numerous mechanisms through which the administration could still limit disclosure, including redactions, procedural delays, or citing ongoing federal investigations as reasons to withhold certain information.
Epstein, who died in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges, had cultivated relationships with powerful figures across business, politics, academia, and entertainment. He was accused of trafficking girls and young women for sex to members of his elite social circle, allegations that have continued to fuel public outrage and demands for accountability.
The spread of AI-generated content like the fake Trump audio represents a troubling evolution in the misinformation landscape. As these technologies become more sophisticated and widely available, distinguishing authentic media from fabrications becomes increasingly difficult, creating new challenges for journalists, fact-checkers, and the public alike.
This episode serves as a stark reminder that in today’s digital information ecosystem, verification is essential regardless of political alignment, as misinformation can originate from and target all sides of the political spectrum.
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7 Comments
It’s disappointing to see this kind of synthetic media being used to spread disinformation. Fact-checking organizations play a crucial role in identifying and debunking these types of deceptive tactics.
Agreed. We need to be more critical consumers of online content and rely on credible sources to separate truth from fiction.
The widespread sharing of this AI-generated audio is a troubling trend. We need to be vigilant about the growing threat of synthetic media and the potential for it to undermine public discourse.
This is a prime example of the challenges we face in the digital age. Disinformation can spread rapidly, even when it’s been debunked by reputable sources. We must continue to educate the public on media literacy and critical thinking.
This is a concerning example of how easily misinformation can spread online, even when it’s blatantly fabricated. We should be vigilant about verifying the authenticity of audio and video clips, especially when they involve prominent figures.
While I’m curious about the Epstein case, this audio clip seems clearly fabricated. I wonder what the motivations are behind creating and spreading this kind of misinformation.
Good point. It’s important to approach any sensational claims, especially those involving high-profile figures, with a healthy dose of skepticism unless they’re backed by verifiable evidence.