White House targets Democrats with racist AI-generated videos amid shutdown dispute

AI memes spark White House controversy

The White House briefing room became a political spectacle on October 1 when staff began playing AI-generated videos of Democratic leaders on the large screens. These videos, which were first shared by President Donald Trump earlier in the week, were widely condemned as racist.

The videos mocked House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. One featured Jeffries with a fake moustache and oversized sombrero, while Schumer appeared to rant about offering free healthcare to undocumented immigrants, set to the Mexican folk tune Jarabe Tapatío. Another clip took Jeffries' real condemnation of the video—calling it disgusting—and overlaid the same caricature of him.

Trump just posted a racist AI deepfake: Hakeem Jeffries in offensive caricature + Chuck Schumer making racist, vulgar statements. This came hours after shutdown talks collapsed—48 hours before funding runs out. pic.twitter.com/Umi2POxVF1— P a u l (@SkylineReport) September 30, 2025

The timing of the stunt during Hispanic Heritage Month only intensified criticism.

Jeffries responded with his own meme, superimposing a distorted "fat head" image of Vice President JD Vance onto a video of himself standing in the briefing room. "JD Vance thinks we will surrender to the Republican effort to gut healthcare because of a sombrero meme. Not happening, Bro," Jeffries posted on X.

JD Vance thinks we will surrender to the Republican effort to gut healthcare because of a Sombrero meme.Not happening Bro. pic.twitter.com/TDVpPSSG6A— Hakeem Jeffries (@hakeemjeffries) October 1, 2025

Vance, speaking at the White House, dismissed the backlash. “The president’s joking and we’re having a good time,” he said, asserting that Republicans could negotiate with Democrats while still “having some fun at the absurdity of the Democrats.”

When asked about the videos being racist, Vance shrugged off Jeffries’ criticism. “I’ll tell Hakeem Jeffries right now, I make this solemn promise to you that if you help us reopen the government, the sombrero memes will stop,” Vance said.