If a government shutdown wasn’t already exceedingly likely, President Donald Trump might have made it a near certainty Monday night. In a move that shocked many, the president posted a vulgar AI-generated deepfake video to his Truth Social platform, targeting top Democratic leaders—Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries—just hours after hosting them for a crucial Oval Office meeting aimed at averting a government shutdown.

The video, disturbingly realistic, shows Schumer and Jeffries as if addressing the media post-meeting. However, the manipulated audio attributes false statements to Schumer, claiming Democrats “have no voters anymore, because of our woke, trans bullshit” and suggesting a strategy to “give all these illegal aliens health care” to win their votes. This crude misrepresentation aligns with GOP talking points, particularly those from Speaker Mike Johnson, who has criticized Democratic demands related to health care provisions for noncitizens in the recently enacted GOP megabill.

Further stirring controversy, the deepfake portrays Jeffries in a sombrero, with mariachi music playing in the background—an apparent jab at his heritage and a misrepresentation of his stance on immigration. This marks Trump’s first face-to-face meeting with Jeffries, adding layers to the already complex political dynamics.

Both Democratic leaders quickly responded to the video. Jeffries took to X, formerly Twitter, stating, "Bigotry will get you nowhere. Cancel the Cuts. Lower the Cost. Save Healthcare. We are NOT backing down." He later escalated the online confrontation by posting a photo of Trump with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Schumer, in his response, criticized Trump’s approach to governance, tweeting, "If you think your shutdown is a joke, it just proves what we all know: You can’t negotiate. You can only throw tantrums."

A senior GOP aide, speaking on the condition of anonymity, expressed concern over the potential fallout from Trump’s actions, suggesting that this incident could surpass the impact of the 2018-2019 government shutdown, which lasted a record 35 days under Trump’s administration.

This latest development raises serious questions about the role of deepfake technology in politics and its potential to inflame already tense negotiations. As leaders on both sides of the aisle condemn or defend the president's actions, the nation watches closely, with the stability of government operations hanging in the balance.