The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) shared an AI-generated video of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) seemingly praising the government shutdown — which is based on a real quote, but not in the manner the video depicts.
“Every day gets better for us,” the video, posted on the social platform X, shows an AI-generated depiction of Schumer saying before he smiles.
From there, the video shows a montage of news clips featuring military service members at food banks and flight traffic control towers shutting down. The video later shows Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) saying Democrats want the shutdown “because they want free government-provided health care for illegal aliens,” which is a misleading message.
The video ends with a voiceover and another shot of the AI-generated Schumer smiling.
“The Schumer shutdown is making things worse across America, and Democrats love it,” the voiceover says.
The Schumer quote comes from an interview with Punchbowl News on Oct. 9.
“It’s because we’ve thought about this long in advance and we knew that health care would be the focal point on Sept. 30 and we prepared for it,” Schumer said. “Their whole theory was — threaten us, bamboozle us, and we would submit in a day or two.”
Joanna Rodriguez, communications director for the NRSC, defended the committee’s video in an X pos, writing that “AI is here and not going anywhere. Adapt & win or pearl clutch & lose.”
“Senate Democrats voted 10 times to keep the government closed,” she added. “The impacts are as real as Schumer’s quote to Punchbowl News. Missed pay. Staff shortages. Benefits at risk. It’s all ‘better’ for Chuck.”
AI videos have been a tool used during the standoff between Democrats and Republicans over the government shutdown since before the funding lapse began.
President Trump recently shared a faked AI video of Schumer and Senate Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries speaking with reporters, where Jeffries is wearing a sombrero and has a handlebar mustache while Schumer says Democrats “have no voters left because of our woke, trans bulls‑‑‑.”
Jeffries called the video racist and told Trump “when I’m back in the Oval Office, say it to my face.” Then, on Saturday, an official X account for the Department of Transportation (DOT) shared a seemingly AI-generated drawing of Schumer and Jeffries wearing Disney princess dresses in front of the Cinderella Castle in an effort to mock the “No Kings” protest movement. The White House’s official X account reshared the DOT’s post, which included the caption, “No Kings!!”
Separate from the shutdown, California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) has trolled the Trump administration with AI-generated photos and videos. On Oct. 2, Newsom’s press office shared an image of Marie Antoinette with Trump’s face.
Days later, the office shared an image of Newsom with a statue of Christopher Columbus, both wearing sunglasses. The image resembles a similar one shared by the White House for Columbus Day.
