Senate Republicans disseminated a deepfake video featuring Chuck Schumer, the Senate minority leader, which was crafted to create the impression that Democrats are celebrating the current government shutdown, now in its 16th day.
Within the deepfake, an AI-created Schumer iterates “every day gets better for us,” a genuine quote excerpted without context from a Punchbowl News piece. The original article saw Schumer addressing the Democrats’ healthcare-centered shutdown strategy, stating their refusal to deviate from Republican strategies of threats and “bambooz[ling].”
The government shutdown stems from the inability of Democrats and Republicans to reach a consensus on a bill to fund government operations through October and beyond. Democrats are endeavoring to retain tax credits that would lower health insurance costs for millions of Americans, reverse Trump’s Medicaid reductions, and prevent cuts to government health agencies.
The video was shared on the Senate Republicans’ X account on Friday. According to X’s regulations, the platform forbids “deceptively shar[ing] synthetic or manipulated media that are likely to cause harm.” Content considered harmful encompasses media that could “mislead people” or “cause significant confusion on public issues.”
Possible enforcement measures include content removal, warning labels, or decreased visibility. At the time of this writing, X has not removed the deepfake or implemented a warning label, although the video does feature a watermark indicating its AI origin.
The Schumer video is not an isolated case of X permitting deepfakes of politicians on its platform. In late 2024, X’s owner Elon Musk shared a manipulated video of former vice president Kamala Harris leading up to the election, sparking discussions regarding voter deception.
TechCrunch has contacted X for comment.
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Approximately 28 states have enacted laws that prohibit deepfakes of political figures, notably concerning campaigns and elections, though most do not completely ban them if they include explicit disclosures. California, Minnesota, and Texas have prohibited deepfakes intended to sway elections, mislead voters, or damage candidates.
The recent post follows weeks after President Donald Trump shared deepfakes on Truth Social depicting Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries, the House minority leader, making unsubstantiated claims regarding immigration and voter fraud.
In response to criticism about the absence of honesty and ethics, Joanna Rodriguez, the National Republican Senatorial Committee communications director, stated: “AI is here and not going anywhere. Adapt & win or pearl clutch & lose.”
