In a move that has sparked widespread controversy and political backlash, US president Donald Trump on Sunday (20) shared an AI-generated video on his Truth Social platform showing former President Barack Obama being arrested by FBI agents inside the Oval Office. The video arrives shortly after the Trump administration renewed allegations that Obama was involved in election fraud during the 2016 US presidential race.
The caption accompanying the video reads: “No one is above the law.” Critics have derided the video as a provocative and misleading attempt to inflame political divisions and divert attention from unrelated scandals, including renewed scrutiny over the Jeffrey Epstein case.
What the AI video shows
The AI-generated deepfake begins with Obama himself stating, "No one, especially the President, is above the law." The video continues with a montage of prominent Democratic figures, including Joe Biden, reiterating similar statements about accountability and the rule of law.
As the video progresses, it takes a bizarre turn, showing a clown-themed version of the commonly used Pepe the Frog meme, which critics say attempts to mock and delegitimize the sincerity of those statements.
Moments later, the video depicts FBI agents entering the Oval Office and placing handcuffs on an AI-rendered Obama. Trump is shown looking on with a sheepish grin. The final scene shows Obama dressed in an orange prison jumpsuit inside a jail cell—an intentionally dramatic visual meant to invoke the idea of justice prevailing against alleged wrongdoing.
Renewed allegations against Obama administration
The video comes on the heels of explosive claims made by Trump’s Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, who has accused Obama of undermining Trump’s 2016 electoral victory. According to Gabbard, declassified intelligence points to a coordinated effort within the Obama administration to politicize intelligence assessments to falsely link Trump’s win to Russian interference.
She further stated that senior intelligence officials under Obama “manufactured” evidence against Trump and that both Obama and his top aides should face criminal prosecution. Trump has echoed this demand, citing the alleged abuse of power and misuse of the intelligence community for partisan purposes.
Timing raises eyebrows
This digital offensive from Trump’s camp comes at a politically sensitive time, as he faces mounting legal and political challenges ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. His continued effort to frame Obama and the Democrats as part of a deep-state conspiracy appears aimed at rallying his base and shifting focus from his own controversies.
However, the use of AI-generated deepfake content to depict the arrest and imprisonment of a former president has been widely criticized. Analysts warn that such videos erode public trust in institutions and blur the lines between satire, misinformation, and official communication.
From tensions to unexpected courtesies
Despite the long-running political rivalry, Obama and Trump were surprisingly seen exchanging pleasantries earlier this year at former President Jimmy Carter’s funeral. The unexpected display of civility momentarily softened their public image, with clips going viral online. When asked, Trump quipped: “They look like two people that like each other. And we probably do.”
While the moment offered a brief pause in the heated political rhetoric, Trump’s recent video post marks a sharp escalation in his feud with Obama and reignites old narratives heading into yet another emotionally charged election cycle.
