President Donald Trump posted an AI-generated video depicting the Gaza Strip, a territory to the west of Israel which divides Gaza from the West Bank, as a haven for hotels and luxury resorts on his official Instagram account, February 25. The Gaza Strip has been devastated by a war between Israel and Hamas for the past year and a half. The video sparked conversation across social media platforms regarding the usage of AI from the Oval Office.
The Reel features prominent figures including Elon Musk and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu enjoying sunny beaches and lounging near a pool. Some perceive this as a threat to the future of Palestinians living in Gaza, such as Arcata High’s Disaster Shock Club president Willow Talbott.
“For the people who are currently in Gaza and who have been displaced, he’s gonna displace them even further so that they are not welcome in their own country,” Talbott says responding to the reel. “He’s gonna turn it [Gaza] into something that it never was and that nobody ever wanted it to be.”
Ariel Vromen created the video using Arcana Labs, an AI platform he was recently given access to. “We have no idea how it got into Trump’s hands,” Vromen said in a CNN video. “I regret this video was posted without context.” Vromen made it clear that the video was satire and was never meant to have such an impact on social media.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is a technological advancement that has recently taken the world by storm. Although its history dates back to the 1950s, recent development has been occurring at an exponential rate. The integration of AI into the world has transformed all walks of life.
The computer-based program gives technology the unique ability to solve problems without human input and learn from its past to make its future functions smoother and more intelligent. AI’s innate learning capabilities make it a potential tool for applications including politics, which may become more relevant in the future.
AI’s incredible features make it not only a tool but also a potential weapon. Its ability to scan the vast internet in a matter of seconds and retain any bit of information about the question or problem prompted by the user is something incredibly unique. Many governments are currently working on harnessing the power of AI as a possible military application.
According to the Army University Press, AI is already being used in the military for several different roles including drone piloting, missile interception, and footage processing. This brings up a question of reliability and raises concerns for those who believe that AI may not be ready for important roles.
According to Newsweek, a senior Hamas official responded to Trump’s video, stating, “Unfortunately, Trump is once again proposing ideas that do not take into account the cultures and interests of the people.” Hamas is the governing military force in the Gaza Strip that has been classified as a terrorist organization by many countries, including the United States.
President Trump was extremely active on social media during his 2016 presidency, particularly on Twitter (now named X), where he has posted over 57,000 times. He is known for posting media that has gotten him accused of being “unpresidential.” He was banned from Twitter before its purchase and name change by Elon Musk. Since then, his ability to post has been restored.
“The line between public statements from an official and private statements from an individual has been blurred by Mr. Trump,” Arcata High School history teacher Owen Moor said.
Propaganda is a tool used in politics to form and influence public opinion on a subject. When asked whether this Instagram Reel could be classified as propaganda, Moore said, “Absolutely, unquestionably.”
The Instagram Reel was accompanied by a song also generated by AI, prompted by the creators of the video.
“Donald’s coming to set you free, bringing the light for all to see. No more tunnels, no more fear, Trump Gaza is finally here,” a voice sings. “Trump Gaza shining bright. Golden future, a brand-new light. Feast and dance. The deed is done.”
