PoliticsDonald Trump's 'Doctor' AI Video Turns Celebrity Likenesses Into Political Props
Donald Trump shared an AI-generated video portraying himself as a doctor.
July 7 2026, Published 6:29 a.m. ET
President Donald Trump’s latest AI video on Truth Social is a reminder of how fast synthetic celebrity likenesses can turn into political fodder.
The president posted an AI-generated clip that casts him as “Dr. Trump,” a white-coated physician with a stethoscope and a cure for “Trump Derangement Syndrome.” The video features fake versions of celebrities who have criticized him, including Rosie O’Donnell, John Leguizamo, Robert De Niro, Whoopi Goldberg, Edward Norton and Julia Roberts.
The clip featured fake celebrity likenesses praising his treatment for ‘Trump Derangement Syndrome.’
“Have you or someone you know been diagnosed with TDS?” Trump says in the clip. “The symptoms can be relentless. Fortunately, I’m Dr. Trump, and I have a treatment plan.”
A Celebrity Face, a Fake Confession
Rosie O'Donnell appeared as one of the AI-generated Donald Trump critics.
The video shows synthetic versions of Trump critics appearing to admit they were wrong or needed help. The AI-generated O’Donnell says, “I have been suffering for over a decade and after listening to Dr. Trump, I can see some results.”
The AI-generated De Niro gives the most dramatic testimonial, saying, “I’m hardly recognizable anymore. I just needed help. I couldn’t eat. I couldn’t sleep. Constantly angry. I made everyone miserable around me.”
Trump ends with a prescription: “Turn off fake news. Say your prayers, and if you ever feel anxious, just have a Diet Coke like me.”
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The Consent Problem
A legal expert raised concerns over consent and celebrity likeness rights.
"Every recognizable face in that video is a piece of intellectual property,” said Dan Purcell, CEO and founder of Midnight Labs and Ceartas. “The moment you generate a celebrity’s face to carry a political message they never agreed to, you’ve stepped into territory courts take seriously.”
Midnight Labs, dubbed “The Internet’s Delete Button,” is an IP protection platform that boasts 2.8 billion takedowns and counting.
“The blurrier the line between parody and genuine depiction, the more legal exposure you carry,” he explained. “Whether you find the target sympathetic or not, the principle doesn’t bend: your likeness is yours."
Purcell noted that although “most” major platforms have synthetic-media and manipulated-media policies, enforcement is another matter, “especially when the account posting it is a head of state.”
“That inconsistency is what erodes trust in the whole system,” he added.
‘The Fake Is the Message’
Donald Trump repeatedly shared AI-generated images and videos as experts warned about its impact on public trust.
Trump has repeatedly shared AI-generated images and videos, including depictions of himself as a doctor, a king and a Christ-like figure. Purcell warned the larger danger is not whether everyone believes a clip is real.
“We’ve moved from ‘can you spot the fake?’ to ‘the fake is the message,’” he said. “When AI likenesses become a standard tool of political communication, the damage isn’t just to the individuals depicted, it’s to the public’s ability to trust anything they see.”
