Trump accuses Iran of weaponizing AI to spread disinformation amid escalating media tensions

Trump accuses Iran of using AI to spread disinformation

SAN FRANCISCO, March 15 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday accused Iran of using artificial intelligence as a "disinformation weapon" to misrepresent its wartime successes and support. "AI can be very dangerous, we have to be very careful with it," Trump said to reporters on Air Force One shortly after he made a post on his Truth Social platform where he accused Western media outlets without evidence of "close coordination" with Iran to spread AI-generated "fake news." The comments come amid renewed tensions between the Federal Communications Commission and broadcasters after Trump took aim at media coverage of the U.S. and Israel's war with Iran. FCC ⁠Chairman Brendan Carr on Saturday threatened to pull licenses of broadcasters who did not "correct course" on their coverage. Trump has frequently accused news media outlets of lying when they run stories that he sees as critical of him, and he has previously called for removing the licenses of broadcast outlets he views as unfair. Between the social media post and his comments to journalists, Trump on Sunday cited three instances where he claimed Iran used AI to mislead the public. On Truth Social, he said that Iran had shown "kamikaze boats" that do not exist. He further stated that Iran used AI ⁠to falsely depict a successful attack on the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier, adding publications that propagated the news should be charged with treason. Reuters has verified images filmed from the Iraqi port of Basra, which showed explosive-laden Iranian boats appearing to attack two fuel tankers, killing at least one crew member. Iranian state media did ⁠claim that Iran's military struck the USS Abraham Lincoln, though the claim was not widely picked up by Western outlets. Trump also claimed that images showing "250,000" Iranians at a rally to support new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei ⁠were "totally AI generated" and that the event "never took place." Several pro-government demonstrations have occurred in Iran since the war began, but a brief search by Reuters did not find any Western reports ⁠that cite a figure of 250,000. Many media organizations, including Reuters, opens new tab, have run news photos showing crowds in Tehran after Khamenei was named leader. Trump did not clarify the specific news reports from Iran he was referencing. Reporting by Kenrick Cai; Editing by Sergio Non and Kate Mayberry Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab * Suggested Topics: * Artificial Intelligence Kenrick Cai Thomson Reuters Kenrick Cai is a correspondent for Reuters based in San Francisco. He covers Google, its parent company Alphabet and artificial intelligence. Cai joined Reuters in 2024. He previously worked at Forbes magazine, where he was a staff writer covering venture capital and startups. He received a Best in Business award from the Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing in 2023. He is a graduate of Duke University.

Trump Accuses Iran of Using AI to Spread Disinformation

SAN FRANCISCO, March 15 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald ⁠Trump ⁠on Sunday accused Iran of ⁠using artificial intelligence as a "disinformation weapon" to misrepresent its wartime successes and support. "AI can be very dangerous, we have to be very careful with it," Trump said to reporters on Air Force One shortly after he made a post on his Truth Social platform where he accused Western media outlets ⁠without evidence ⁠of "close coordination" with Iran to spread AI-generated "fake news." The comments come amid renewed tensions between the Federal Communications Commission and broadcasters after Trump took aim at media coverage of the U.S. and Israel's war with Iran. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr on Saturday threatened to pull licenses of broadcasters who did not "correct course" on their coverage. Trump has frequently accused news media outlets of lying ⁠when they ⁠run stories that he ⁠sees as critical of him, and he has previously called for removing the licenses of broadcast outlets he views as unfair. Between the social ⁠media post and his comments to journalists, Trump on Sunday cited three instances where he claimed Iran used AI to mislead the public. On Truth Social, he said that Iran had shown "kamikaze boats" that do not exist. He further stated that Iran used AI to falsely depict a successful attack ⁠on the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier, adding publications that propagated the news should ⁠be charged with treason. Reuters has verified images filmed from the Iraqi port of Basra, which showed explosive-laden Iranian boats appearing to attack two fuel tankers, killing at least one crew member. Iranian state media did claim that Iran's military struck the USS Abraham Lincoln, though the claim was not widely picked up by Western outlets. Trump also claimed that images showing "250,000" Iranians at a rally to support new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei were "totally AI generated" and that the event "never took place." Several pro-government demonstrations have occurred in ⁠Iran since the war began, but a brief search by Reuters did not find any Western reports that cite a figure of 250,000. Many media organizations, including Reuters, have run news photos showing crowds in Tehran after Khamenei was named leader. Trump did not clarify the specific news reports from Iran he was referencing. (Reporting by Kenrick Cai; Editing by Sergio Non and Kate Mayberry)

'Iran master of media manipulation': Trump accuses Tehran of AI-driven 'false information'

Washington DC, US President Donald Trump on Sunday (local time) accused Iran of spreading artificial intelligence-generated disinformation about the ongoing conflict and criticised media organisations for reporting "false information" about damage to American military assets. In a post on Truth Social, Trump said, "Iran has long been known as a Master of Media Manipulation and Public Relations. They are Militarily ineffective and weak, but are really good at 'feeding' the very appreciative Fake News Media false information." He also alleged that Tehran has begun using artificial intelligence (AI) as a "disinformation weapon". Also Read | We're all trapped in Donald Trump's 1980s worldview "Now, A.I. has become another Disinformation weapon that Iran uses, quite well, considering they are being annihilated by the day," he said. Trump said some visuals circulating online about Iranian attacks on ships are all "false information". "They showed phony 'Kamikaze Boats,' shooting at various Ships at Sea, which looks wonderful, powerful, and vicious, but these Boats don't exist -- It's all false information to show how 'tough' their already defeated Military is!" he said. The president also disputed reports that several American refuelling aircraft had been struck. He said, "The five US Refueling Planes that were supposedly struck down and badly damaged, according to The Wall Street Journal's false reporting, and others, are all in service, with the exception of one, which will soon be flying the skies." He also rejected claims that the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) had been attacked or set ablaze. He said, "Buildings and Ships that are shown to be on fire are not -- It's FAKE NEWS, generated by AI. For instance, Iran, working in close coordination with the Fake News Media, shows our great USS Abraham Lincoln Aircraft Carrier, one of the largest and most prestigious Ships in the World, burning uncontrollably in the Ocean. Not only was it not burning, it was not even shot at -- Iran knows better than to do that!" Trump also criticised media organisations that reported the claims and said such outlets should face "Charges for TREASON for the dissemination of false information." Also Read | Trump warns NATO, presses China to help reopen Strait of Hormuz: Report He said, "The story was knowingly FAKE and, in a certain way, you can say that those Media Outlets that generated it should be brought up on Charges for TREASON for the dissemination of false information!" He said Iran was losing militarily but was attempting to claim victories through "those that they create through AI, and are distributed by Corrupt Media Outlets." "The fact is, Iran is being decimated, and the only battles they 'win' are those that they create through AI, and are distributed by Corrupt Media Outlets", the President said. He added, "The Radical Leftwing Press knows this full well, but continues to go forward with false stories and LIES. That's why their Approval Rating is so low, and I can win a Presidential Election, IN A LANDSLIDE, getting only 5% positive Press --They have no credibility!" He also praised Brendan Carr, the Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), for reviewing broadcast licences of some media organisations. "I am so thrilled to see Brendan Carr, the Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), looking at the licenses of some of these Corrupt and Highly Unpatriotic 'News' Organizations." Trump added that broadcasters receive public airwaves but use them "to perpetuate LIES". He said, "They get Billions of Dollars of FREE American Airwaves, and use it to perpetuate LIES, both in News and almost all of their Shows, including the Late Night Morons, who get gigantic Salaries for horrible Ratings, and never get, as I used to say in The Apprentice, 'FIRED.'"

Trump accuses Iran of using AI to spread disinformation

U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday accused Iran of using artificial intelligence as a "disinformation weapon" to misrepresent its wartime successes and support. "AI can be very dangerous, we have to be very careful with it," Trump said to reporters on Air Force One shortly after he made a post on his Truth Social platform where he accused Western media outlets without evidence of "close coordination" with Iran to spread AI-generated "fake news." The comments come amid renewed tensions between the Federal Communications Commission and broadcasters after Trump took aim at media coverage of the U.S. and Israel's war with Iran. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr on Saturday threatened to pull licenses of broadcasters who did not "correct course" on their coverage. Trump has frequently accused news media outlets of lying when they run stories that he sees as critical of him, and he has previously called for removing the licenses of broadcast outlets he views as unfair.

Trump claims Iran using AI as 'disinformation weapon,' coordinated with US media outlets

LOOKING ON with their son, Barron, as husband Donald Trump takes the presidential oath in the US Capitol in Washington, Jan. 20, 2025. US President Donald Trump on Sunday accused Iran of using artificial intelligence as a "disinformation weapon" to misrepresent its wartime successes and support. "AI can be very dangerous, we have to be very careful with it," Trump said to reporters on Air Force One shortly after he made a post on his Truth Social platform where he accused Western media outlets without evidence of "close coordination" with Iran to spread AI-generated "fake news." The comments come amid renewed tensions between the Federal Communications Commission and broadcasters after Trump took aim at media coverage of the US and Israel's war with Iran. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr on Saturday threatened to pull licenses of broadcasters who did not "correct course" on their coverage. Trump has frequently accused news media outlets of lying when they run stories that he sees ⁠as critical of him, and he has previously called for removing the licenses of broadcast outlets he views as unfair. Trump claims Iran used AI to mislead public Between the social media post and his comments to journalists, Trump on Sunday cited three instances where he claimed Iran used AI to mislead the public. On Truth Social, he said that Iran had shown "kamikaze boats" that do not exist. He further stated that Iran used AI to falsely depict a successful attack on the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier, adding publications that propagated the news should be charged with treason. Reuters has verified images filmed from the Iraqi port of Basra, which showed explosive-laden Iranian boats appearing to attack two fuel tankers, killing at least one crew member. Iranian state media did claim that Iran's military struck the USS Abraham Lincoln, though the claim was not widely picked up by Western outlets. Trump also claimed that images showing "250,000" Iranians at a rally to support new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei were "totally AI generated" and that the event "never took place." Several pro-government demonstrations have occurred in Iran since the war began, but a brief search by Reuters did not find any Western reports that cite a figure of 250,000. Many media organizations, including Reuters, have run news photos showing crowds in Tehran after Khamenei was named leader. Trump did not clarify the specific news reports from Iran he was referencing.

Trump accuses Iran of using AI to spread disinformation

SAN FRANCISCO, March 15 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday accused Iran of using artificial intelligence as a "disinformation weapon" to misrepresent its wartime successes and support. "AI can be very dangerous, we have to be very careful with it," Trump said to reporters on Air Force One shortly after he made a post on his Truth Social platform where he accused Western media outlets without evidence of "close coordination" with Iran to spread AI-generated "fake news." The comments come amid renewed tensions between the Federal Communications Commission and broadcasters after Trump took aim at media coverage of the U.S. and Israel's war with Iran. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr on Saturday threatened to pull licenses of broadcasters who did not "correct course" on their coverage. Trump has frequently accused news media outlets of lying when they run stories that he sees as critical of him, and he has previously called for removing the licenses of broadcast outlets he views as unfair. Between the social media post and his comments to journalists, Trump on Sunday cited three instances where he claimed Iran used AI to mislead the public. On Truth Social, he said that Iran had shown "kamikaze boats" that do not exist. He further stated that Iran used AI to falsely depict a successful attack on the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier, adding publications that propagated the news should be charged with treason. Reuters has verified images filmed from the Iraqi port of Basra, which showed explosive-laden Iranian boats appearing to attack two fuel tankers, killing at least one crew member. Iranian state media did claim that Iran's military struck the USS Abraham Lincoln, though the claim was not widely picked up by Western outlets. Trump also claimed that images showing "250,000" Iranians at a rally to support new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei were "totally AI generated" and that the event "never took place." Several pro-government demonstrations have occurred in Iran since the war began, but a brief search by Reuters did not find any Western reports that cite a figure of 250,000. Many media organizations, including Reuters, have run news photos showing crowds in Tehran after Khamenei was named leader. Trump did not clarify the specific news reports from Iran he was referencing. (Reporting by Kenrick Cai; Editing by Sergio Non and Kate Mayberry)