Here’s a jaw-dropping moment in politics: California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) recently shared an AI-generated video on social media that’s sparking intense debate. The clip, posted on Wednesday, depicts former President Donald Trump, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller in handcuffs, sitting on a step with their hands behind their backs. The screen boldly declares, ‘It’s cuffing season,’ before transitioning to a car scene where the trio raises their cuffed hands to their faces, appearing to cry. The video concludes with them approaching a courthouse, surrounded by police, reporters, and onlookers capturing the moment on their phones. All the while, R&B singer SZA’s song ‘Big Boys’ plays in the background. But here’s where it gets controversial: Newsom’s post was a direct response to a similar video shared by the White House, which used the same song to showcase Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrests, accompanied by the caption, ‘WE HEARD IT’S CUFFING SZN. Bad news for criminal illegal aliens. Great news for America.’ SZA didn’t hold back, slamming the White House for using her music, calling it ‘rage baiting artists for free promo’ and labeling it ‘inhumanity + shock and aw tactics ..Evil n Boring.’ This isn’t the first time artists have pushed back—pop star Sabrina Carpenter previously criticized the White House for using her music in a similar ICE video, calling it ‘evil and disgusting.’ Newsom’s use of AI isn’t new either. Last week, he shared an AI-generated image of himself receiving a fictional ‘Kohl’s Peace Prize,’ a playful jab at Trump’s FIFA Peace Prize, which he received after failing to secure the Nobel Peace Prize (awarded this year to Venezuelan politician María Corina Machado). In October, Newsom’s team posted an AI image of Marie Antoinette with Trump’s face, mocking his priorities during a government shutdown, with the caption, ‘NO HEALTH CARE FOR YOU PEASANTS, BUT A BALLROOM FOR THE QUEEN!’ And this is the part most people miss: While Newsom has been vocal about Trump’s potential third-term ambitions—despite constitutional term limits—he recently admitted in an interview on ‘The Jack Cocchiarella Show’ that he’s ‘softened’ on the idea. ‘His regime is going to be measured not in decades, but in years,’ Newsom said, adding with a sigh, ‘And that’s comforting.’ Newsom himself is seen as a potential Democratic contender in the 2028 election, making this exchange even more intriguing. Here’s the question that’s bound to spark debate: Is Newsom’s use of AI and provocative imagery a clever political strategy, or does it cross the line into tasteless territory? And what does this say about the future of political discourse in the age of AI? Let us know your thoughts in the comments—this is one conversation you won’t want to miss!
