California Governor Gavin Newsom has stirred up quite a bit of controversy online after posting an AI-generated image on X. The image was of figures closely associated with President Donald Trump, including Kid Rock, Tucker Carlson, and a late Hulk Hogan with angel wings and a halo, bestowing a blessing upon Newsom. This post was captioned “so nice” and quickly drew criticism, particularly from a user who denounced the post as “disrespectful and blasphemous”.
Instead of taking the post down, Newsom decided to double down, responding with another AI-generated image that referenced a previous picture shared by Trump depicting himself as the Pope. The post was captioned with an insincere “oops, our bad, sorry. meant to post this”. Newsom’s initial post mimicked fan art that is sometimes created and shared by Trump himself, which features him being blessed by deceased celebrities and even Jesus.
It’s a good way to make people speak up, since using figures in that manner tends to come across as disrespectful. However, pointing out that people were mad about his previous one, and not when Trump does a much more blasphemous post that puts him at the same level as the Pope, who claims to be God’s representative on earth (or Vicar of Christ).
Trump gets trolled by Governor Newsom
While some people see it as a harmless form of satire, others are concerned about the potential for misinformation and the disrespectful use of AI-generated imagery, especially given the sensitive nature of the figures and themes involved. It remains to be seen whether Trump will respond to Newsom’s latest jab with his own AI-generated content. The use of AI in political discourse is a developing trend, and this exchange between Newsom and Trump underscores the potential for AI to shape and influence political narratives.
so nice! pic.twitter.com/mkOMRvAalh
— Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) August 17, 2025
This whole situation is a little crazy, and it brings up a good point about how technology and politics are intersecting in ways we’ve never seen before. We’ve seen AI used for a lot of things, from generating realistic art to helping write code, but this is a new kind of political warfare. It’s no longer just about witty tweets or press releases; it’s about who can create the most impactful, and sometimes most offensive, piece of AI-generated content to get a rise out of the other side.
oops our bad, sorry. meant to post this pic.twitter.com/n7VfUg6lWL
— Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) August 17, 2025
You’ve got to wonder if this is the new normal. Are all political campaigns going to start relying on AI to create images and videos to attack their opponents? It’s a bit of a scary thought, to be honest. The line between satire and misinformation can get blurry, and with AI, it’s easier than ever to create something that looks real but is completely fabricated.
The part about Hulk Hogan with angel wings and a halo is particularly interesting, as it’s a direct jab at the kind of “fan art” that is sometimes shared by Trump. To a lot of people, this kind of imagery is disrespectful and blasphemous, and Newsom knew exactly what he was doing by posting it. It’s a classic troll move, and it worked perfectly to get a reaction. The fact that he then followed it up with another image referencing Trump as the Pope just shows he’s not backing down. It feels like this isn’t just about political disagreement anymore, but a personal rivalry that’s playing out in a very public and modern way.
On the other hand, you could argue that this is just a harmless form of satire. Politicians have been making fun of each other for centuries, and this is just the modern version of that. It’s a sign of the times, where social media and new technologies are the battlegrounds for political debate. However, the use of AI adds a whole new layer to it. It’s not just a caricature drawn by an artist; it’s an image that’s been created by a machine, and that feels a little different.
