President Trump posted an AI video of himself as “King Trump” flying a fighter jet over protesters, mocking millions marching against his leadership.
Washington, D.C. — After a day spent golfing while millions of Americans marched in protest, President Donald Trump ignited a new controversy Friday by sharing an AI-generated video portraying himself as a monarch in full control of the nation.
The video — posted on both his personal and official accounts — shows Trump piloting a fighter jet labeled “KING TRUMP” soaring above what appears to be Times Square, dumping brown liquid on demonstrators below as Kenny Loggins’ “Danger Zone” plays — a clear reference to the Top Gun films.
The stunt came as part of Trump’s digital counteroffensive to the “No Kings” marches, which reportedly drew nearly seven million participants across the country, rallying against what they described as the president’s authoritarian behavior and cult of personality politics.
Republicans Mock Protesters
Trump allies dismissed the massive demonstrations as politically motivated.
House Speaker Mike Johnson branded them “Hate America rallies,” while Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy claimed protesters were “pro-Hamas or Antifa operatives,” echoing rhetoric previously used to discredit anti-government protests.
Across conservative social media, Trump supporters embraced the king imagery, sharing AI art depicting him in royal robes, crowns, and military garb, often surrounded by kneeling Democrats.
Vice President J.D. Vance even posted a clip of Trump wearing a crown and cape as Nancy Pelosi and other Democrats bow before him, writing, “Long live the people’s president.”
AI Imagery as Political Weapon
The “King Trump” video marks another entry in Trump’s growing library of AI-enhanced propaganda, used to mock opponents and project dominance online.
In September, Trump shared an AI-generated image of himself in a cowboy hat and military fatigues, helicopters hovering over a burning Chicago skyline, captioned “Chipocalypse Now” — a play on the Vietnam War classic Apocalypse Now and the administration’s tech crackdown.
Political analysts note that the AI videos have become an integral part of Trump’s media strategy, blurring satire and spectacle while bypassing traditional news channels.
“This is digital monarchy cosplay — part performance art, part power projection,” said one media scholar at Georgetown University. “It’s meant to both provoke outrage and rally his base through memes that feel mythic.”
Protests Reflect Growing Dissent
The “No Kings” movement, organized by a coalition of civil rights and democracy advocacy groups, staged nationwide marches in all 50 states demanding limits on executive power, election safeguards, and transparency in presidential authority.
Demonstrators carried signs reading “Democracy, Not Dynasty” and “No Man Above the Law,” accusing Trump of cultivating a personality cult and flouting institutional checks.
While the White House did not issue an official response, senior officials privately said Trump’s social media post was meant to “troll” critics and “own the narrative.”
A Digital Throne for a Divided Nation
The AI video — with its fusion of humor, menace, and self-mythology — has quickly become emblematic of Trump’s approach to politics in the digital age: spectacle as strategy.
As one protest organizer put it:
“He’s playing emperor while the people are in the streets. That’s the real picture of America right now.”
