Donald Trump’s affinity for crude symbols of power and wealth has been on full display since he regained the White House. On February 19th, he took to Truth Social to declare “CONGESTION PRICING IS DEAD” and “Manhattan, and all of New York, is SAVED.” The White House’s official X account amplified his message with an AI-generated image of Trump, golden-haired and golden-crowned, overshadowing the New York City skyline.
This illustration, styled to resemble the cover of Time magazine, showcases Trump’s fondness for literal representations of power. His literalism defines much of his actions since returning to the White House, from proposing a military parade on his birthday to renovating the Oval Office with marble-topped tables and gilded Rococo mirrors.
Trump’s Taste in Art and Imagery
Trump’s aesthetic is characterized by a maximalist, self-regarding sensibility that prioritizes obvious symbols of wealth and status. His taste in art is reflected in the works of Jon McNaughton, a painter dubbed MAGA’s “court artist” by art historian Jennifer A. Greenhill. McNaughton’s depictions of Trump often feature the former president in fantastical scenes with other historical figures, rendered in a flat, hyperrealist style.
The rise of AI-generated imagery has allowed Trump’s supporters to flood social media with even more partisan and literal representations of the former president. These images, including scenes of Trump riding a lion and shredding on an electric guitar, leave no room for interpretation and reinforce Trump’s simplistic, binary worldview.
The Intersection of Trump’s Aesthetic and AI-Generated Imagery
Trump’s affinity for AI-generated imagery is not surprising, given his tendency to prioritize style over substance. His 2017 inaugural cake, mostly made of Styrofoam, is a symbol of the hollowness of his aesthetic. Like a large language model, Trump takes existing work and repurposes it to create his own meaningless content.
The use of AI-generated imagery by Trump’s administration has been criticized for its potential to manipulate reality. The posting of a video showing a man being prepared for deportation, set to the lyrics of “Closing Time” by Semisonic, was stripped of its original context and used to convey a cruel, singular message.
The Implications of Trump’s Aesthetic on Reality
Trump’s reliance on AI-generated imagery and his tendency to manipulate reality raise concerns about his view of human beings as fundamentally unreal. People exist to gratify his desires, and when he’s done with them, they can be discarded. This worldview is reflected in his use of digital technology to obscure and manipulate the truth about individuals, such as in the case of Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, a wrongfully deported individual whose image was doctored to fit Trump’s narrative.
The intersection of Trump’s aesthetic and AI-generated imagery has significant implications for our understanding of reality and how it is shaped by those in power. As Trump’s administration continues to push the boundaries of digital manipulation, it is essential to critically examine the ways in which technology is used to shape our perceptions of the world.
