Iran Deploys AI Disinformation Campaign Targeting Trump and Netanyahu

The Government of Iran has launched a sophisticated information war utilizing generative artificial intelligence to target U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The campaign employs AI-generated memes, Lego-style animations, and absurd videos, including a depiction of a Trump-like Teletubby in the Oval Office. These efforts accelerated after the White House released a media mashup of NFL highlights and missile strike footage.

As the conflict evolved, the campaign shifted toward more deceptive disinformation to conceal Iranian battlefield losses and exploit global opposition to U.S. and Israeli military actions. This included the production of fabricated videos, such as a fake missile strike on Liberty Island in New York Harbor. The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps Research and Self-Sufficiency Jihad Organization manages a network of at least 62 covert social media accounts posing as Westerners to flood platforms like TikTok, X, and Instagram.

Iranian Revolutionary Guard spokesman Ebrahim Zolfaghari has adopted a mocking tone in official English communications, referencing Trump's trademark phrases. The operations are supported by the governments of Russia and China, which amplify the propaganda. In response, the United States Department of Defense has ordered thousands of additional troops to the Middle East and attempted to debunk false claims, such as the reported downing of an F/A-18 jet. White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly dismissed reports of the campaign as puff pieces, criticizing media coverage of Iran's social media strategy.