Trump Falsely Claims Harris Michigan Rally Crowd Was Generated with AI
ICARO Media Group
Former President Donald Trump has taken to social media once again, making false claims about Vice President Kamala Harris' campaign. On Sunday, Trump posted on his Truth Social platform, alleging that the crowd at Harris' Detroit-area rally last week was faked using artificial intelligence (AI). These claims, however, have been debunked as misinformation.
In multiple posts, Trump insisted that the crowd at the airport hangar "didn't exist" and that "nobody was there." He shared a post from a right-wing former congressional candidate known for spreading false information. Despite Trump's allegations, it has been confirmed that the rally was attended by thousands of people.
Numerous individuals in attendance posted their own photographs and videos from the event, which was also live-streamed by several news channels. Additionally, many well-known politicians were present at the rally, further confirming its legitimacy.
While there have been instances of AI-generated photos and videos circulating on certain corners of social media, the photograph Trump shared was likely real, although it's possible it may have been digitally altered. Other photographs and videos from the same event depict a similar scene.
According to local news outlet MLive, approximately 15,000 people filled the hangar, with the crowd spilling out onto the tarmac. Snopes, a fact-checking organization, utilized AI-detection tools to analyze the photo and determined that it was "likely photographed by someone and not created using an AI-generation tool."
It is notable that Chris Strider, a video editor with the Democratic super PAC Priorities USA and a former Biden campaign official, shared the photo on social media shortly after the rally. However, it is unclear whether Strider took the photo himself or found it elsewhere online.
Trump continued his tirade about crowd sizes during a press conference, specifically targeting media coverage of Harris' rallies with her new running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. He even claimed that his own 2017 inaugural address had a larger attendance than Martin Luther King Jr.'s iconic "I Have a Dream" speech during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in 1963.
In response to Trump's false claims, Harris campaign Director of Rapid Response Ammar Moussa wrote on Sunday, "Donald Trump is definitely not mad. Do not say Donald Trump is mad." The campaign has vehemently denied any wrongdoing and maintains that the rally was well-attended and legitimate.
Once again, Trump's unsubstantiated claims have been revealed as false. It serves as a reminder of the importance of fact-checking and verifying information before sharing it on social media platforms.