Trump Calls Viral White House Video “Fake AI,” Contradicting His Own Press Team

WASHINGTON D.C. – President Donald Trump on Tuesday emphatically dismissed a widely circulated video appearing to show items being tossed from an upstairs White House window, branding it as a creation of artificial intelligence. This assertion directly contradicts an earlier statement from his own press team, which had seemingly confirmed the video’s authenticity to multiple news outlets just hours prior.

The video, which gained traction Monday, depicts a small black bag and a long white object being jettisoned from a window on the White House’s east side. However, President Trump, a self-proclaimed expert in building design, vehemently argued its falsity, citing his intimate knowledge of the executive mansion’s architecture.

“It’s got to be fake,” Trump told reporters, explaining that the White House windows are not only “heavy and sealed shut” but also bulletproof. He recounted a recent conversation with First Lady Melania Trump, who, he said, desired fresh air from an open window, only to be reminded that “you can’t. They’re bulletproof. And number one, they’re sealed, and number two, each window weighs about 600 pounds. You have to be pretty strong to open them up.”

The President doubled down on his claim after viewing the video on a reporter’s phone, reiterating his conviction that the windows are inoperable and again pointing the finger at AI. “It’s the kind of thing they do,” he remarked, adding, “And one of the problems we have with AI, it’s both good and bad. If something happens really bad, just blame AI. But also they create things, you know?”

This firm denial stands in stark contrast to the White House’s initial response. Earlier Tuesday, inquiries from various news outlets regarding the video were met with a clear explanation: the activity captured was attributed to “a contractor who was doing regular maintenance while the President was gone.”

As of late Tuesday, the White House had not responded to requests for clarification on the glaring discrepancy between the President’s statement and its earlier official line.

Further casting doubt on President Trump’s AI claim is the assessment of Dr. Hany Farid, a leading digital forensics and misinformation expert at the University of California, Berkeley. After reviewing the video, Farid stated he found no evidence of digital manipulation or AI generation.

“The shadows in the scene, including the shadow cast by the tossed bag, are all physically consistent,” Farid explained. “The motion of the waving flags have none of the tell-tale signs that you often see in AI-generated videos. The overall structure of the White House appears to be consistent, including the flying of the American and POW/MIA flag.”

The incident has ignited a debate over the increasing challenge of misinformation, even as the President’s own administration navigates conflicting narratives surrounding a seemingly innocuous video.