President Donald Trump has dismissed a viral video showing an object being thrown from a White House window as “probably AI-generated,” even though officials had earlier said it was a contractor doing routine maintenance.
Trump told reporters in the Oval Office Tuesday that the video “has got to be a fake” because the White House’s bulletproof windows are sealed shut and very heavy.
His comments came just hours after the White House told Newsweek that the video showed a contractor doing maintenance while the President was away. Newsweek reached out to the White House for more comments via email.
Why It Matters
The clip stirred widespread speculation at a time when the public is focused on transparency, especially after the Jeffrey Epstein scandal. Social media was also full of false claims about the President’s health.
On Sunday, Trump posted on Truth Social that he “NEVER FELT BETTER IN MY LIFE,” linking to a post from a MAGA influencer claiming the “media freaks out” if he disappears for 24 hours.
When asked about rumors of his death on Tuesday, he told reporters: “I have heard it’s sort of crazy, but last week I did numerous news conferences, all successful. They went very well. Then I didn’t do any for two days and they said there must be something wrong with him.”
What To Know
During the Oval Office press conference, Trump said the viral video “has got to be fake” and explained, “you can’t open the windows” at the White House.
He added that First Lady Melania Trump had recently complained she wanted fresh air from an open window. “But you can’t. They’re bulletproof. And number one, they’re sealed, and number two, each window weighs about 600 pounds. You have to be pretty strong to open them up.”
The video first appeared on the Instagram account Washingtonian Problems (@washingtonianprobs), which said a member submitted it anonymously. The caption read, “Doing some deep Sunday cleaning?”
It quickly spread across social media, with Republicans Against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) asking, “What the hell is going on?” and Patriot Takes (@patriottakes) commenting, “What is going on here?”
What People Are Saying
Hany Farid, a digital forensics expert at the University of California, Berkeley, reviewed the video and told the Associated Press that he found no digital watermarks often used in AI-generated images.
He said, “The shadows in the scene, including the shadow cast by the tossed bag, are all physically consistent. The motion of the waving flags has none of the tell-tale signs that you often see in AI-generated videos. The overall structure of the White House appears to be consistent, including the flying of the American and POW/MIA flag.”
What Happens Next
The White House has not addressed the difference between its statement and Trump’s remarks in the Oval Office.
Since returning to office, Trump has remodeled parts of the White House, redecorating the Oval Office and announcing the construction of a new $200 million ballroom. Recent work has also included paving over the previously grassy lawn of the Rose Garden.
