U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday accused Iran of deploying artificial intelligence as a tool for disinformation, claiming the technology was being used to exaggerate wartime successes and manipulate public perception.
Trump Warns About AI Misinformation
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said artificial intelligence posed serious risks if used irresponsibly.
“AI can be very dangerous, we have to be very careful with it,” Trump said.
Earlier in the day, Trump posted on his Truth Social platform accusing Western media outlets, without presenting evidence, of working in “close coordination” with Iran to distribute what he described as AI-generated “fake news.”
His remarks come during heightened tensions between regulators and broadcasters over coverage of the ongoing conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran.
FCC Pressure on Broadcasters
The debate intensified after Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr warned broadcasters about their reporting on the war.
Carr said on Saturday that networks could risk losing their broadcast licences if they failed to “correct course” in their coverage.
Trump has repeatedly criticised media organisations that publish reporting he considers unfavourable. In previous instances, he has also called for the licences of certain broadcast outlets to be revoked, arguing that their coverage is unfair or misleading.
Claims About AI-Generated Content
Trump cited several examples that he said showed Iran using artificial intelligence to mislead the public.
In his Truth Social post, he alleged that Iranian media had presented images of “kamikaze boats” that do not actually exist. He also claimed Iran used AI to fabricate footage of a successful strike on the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier.
Trump further argued that publications which repeated such claims should face severe legal consequences, including charges of treason.
However, Reuters verified video recorded at the Iraqi port of Basra showing explosive-laden Iranian boats appearing to attack two fuel tankers. The incident reportedly killed at least one crew member.
Iranian state media also claimed the country’s military struck the USS Abraham Lincoln, though the assertion did not gain wide traction among Western news organisations.
Dispute Over Rally Images
Trump also challenged images circulating online that showed a large rally in support of Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei.
He claimed that photographs depicting a crowd of about 250,000 people were “totally AI generated” and said the gathering “never took place.”
In reality, several pro-government demonstrations have been held in Iran since the conflict began. News agencies, including Reuters, have published photographs showing large crowds gathered in Tehran following Khamenei’s appointment as leader.
However, a brief search by Reuters did not identify Western reports stating that 250,000 people attended the rally.
Trump did not specify which news reports or outlets he believed had relied on the alleged AI-generated material.
With inputs from Reuters