Trump faces backlash over AI video of Gaza with topless Netanyahu and bearded bellydancers
Donald Trump posted a bizarre AI-generated video of "Trump Gaza" on his Truth Social site on Wednesday. Picture: Truth Social
Donald Trump is facing a backlash on his Truth Social platform after sharing an AI-created video of him sipping cocktails with a topless Benjamin Netanyahu in Gaza, in a future imagining of the Palestinian territory devastated by Israel’s war.
The video presented a computer-generated vision of Trump’s property development plan for Gaza, under which he said he wants to “clean out” the population of about two million people. Named the "Riviera of the Middle East" plan, the proposal has been criticised as a blueprint for ethnic cleansing.
Footage shows the strip transformed into a Dubai-style resort with skyscrapers and luxury yachts. Children play on the beach as money rains down and bearded bellydancers gyrate on the sand.
Mr Trump, who says he wants the US to “own” Gaza, is presented as a revered icon in the footage. A boy walks along holding a golden balloon of the president’s head and a towering, dictator-style statue of Trump overlooks a city street.
Elon Musk, Trump’s billionaire backer, appears several times, eating flatbread and later dancing as dollar bills fall from the sky. Musk’s Tesla electric cars cruise through the glossy streets.
After the 78-year-old president shared the footage — which includes the caption “Gaza 2025 … what’s next?” — he faced a backlash on his social media platform.
One Truth Social user wrote: “I could not be a bigger supporter of President Trump but this particular video is in very poor taste. Very poor taste, indeed!” Another wrote: “I hate this. I love our president, but this is horrible.”
The video might have gone down particularly badly with Mr Trump’s Christian supporters, with several comments referencing the idolatry of the golden statue, and others lamenting a scene showing Trump in a nightclub alone with a woman dressed as a bellydancer as a crowd looks on.
“Only one deserves the glory and the honor, Mr President,” wrote another user. “The statue is a symbol of the antichrist, please humble yourself to God. Jesus is king and only Him.”
Other users described the video as “sick” and “filth”.
One account, with the name Kainoa P, wrote: “You’re doing great Mr President. But don’t let it get to your head. God put you in that position for His glory, not yours.”
It was not immediately clear who had made the video, although it had been shared online previously by other accounts unrelated to the White House. Trump shared it without comment.
What appeared to be AI-generated lyrics accompanied the images: “Donald’s coming to set you free, bringing the light for all to see, no more tunnels, no more fear: Trump Gaza’s finally here.
“Trump Gaza’s shining bright, golden future, a brand new life. Feast and dance the deal is done, Trump Gaza number one.”
Israel is fighting allegations of genocide in Gaza, where it has killed nearly 50,000 people, mostly civilians, in the war that began with an attack by Hamas on 7 October 2023. The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Hamas’s military leader, Mohammed Deif, on allegations of war crimes. Mr Netanyahu denies war crimes, while Mr Deif may already be dead.
Previous economic plans for Gaza failed after they were stifled by Israel, which blockaded the strip for years, and Hamas militants, who were widely accused of corruption.
Last month, there was international condemnation of Mr Trump's plan for the US to take over war-torn Gaza and create a "riviera."
Mr Trump said he envisioned building a resort where international communities could live in harmony after over 15 months of Israeli bombardment devastated the tiny coastal enclave, killing more than 47,000 people, according to Palestinian tallies.
The casual proposal sent diplomatic shockwaves across the Middle East and the world. Turkey called the proposal "unacceptable," while France said it risked destabilizing the Middle East.
Countries including Russia, China, Spain, Ireland, and the UK stated that they continue to support the two-state solution, which has formed the basis of Washington's policy in the region for decades.
An official from Palestinian militant group Hamas, which ruled the Gaza Strip before engaging in a brutal war with Israel, called Mr Trump's statement about taking over the enclave "ridiculous and absurd."
- The Guardian
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