TL;DR: President Trump posted an AI-generated video mocking Democratic leaders Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries using racist stereotypes and false claims about immigration and healthcare, just hours before a failed budget negotiation and a looming government shutdown. The post has drawn strong condemnation from Democrats.
What Happened
- President Donald Trump posted an AI-generated video on September 30, 2025, mocking House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.
- The video showed Jeffries wearing a sombrero and mustache and featured a fabricated voice of Schumer making false claims about undocumented immigrants and Democratic policies.
- In the video, the AI-generated Schumer said: “There’s no way to sugar coat it: Nobody likes Democrats anymore.”
Reactions
- Hakeem Jeffries responded on X: “Bigotry will get you nowhere. Cancel the Cuts. Lower the Cost. Save Healthcare. We are NOT backing down.”
- Chuck Schumer posted on X: “If you think your shutdown is a joke, it just proves what we all know: You can’t negotiate. You can only throw tantrums.”
- CNN reported that no government funding deal was reached at the White House meeting earlier that day, which included Trump, Schumer, Jeffries, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, and House Speaker Mike Johnson.
Shutdown Context
- Government funding is set to expire at midnight on October 1, 2025.
- Democrats are pushing for extensions of Affordable Care Act subsidies and healthcare protections.
- Republicans want a clean funding bill without additional spending or policy changes.
- Trump’s video followed a failed negotiation on these differences.
Broader Implications
- The video’s use of AI-generated voices and racial stereotypes has raised concerns about political misinformation and digital ethics.
- The incident has intensified partisan tensions and diverted attention from critical budget negotiations.
- No official White House comment has been issued yet.