In a striking condemnation, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries labeled a deepfake video shared by President Donald Trump as "racist and fake." The video, which surfaced shortly after a critical White House meeting on the looming government shutdown, features manipulated images and dialogue intended to mock Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.

Speaking to the press on the Capitol steps, Jeffries expressed his disdain for the president's choice to use AI technology to spread misleading information. “Mr. President, the next time you have something to say about me, don't cop out through a racist and fake AI video," Jeffries said. "When I'm back in the Oval Office, say it to my face.” His remarks came amid urgent discussions in Congress, where tensions are high with less than 14 hours left before a potential government shutdown.

The controversial video emerged just hours after Trump, Jeffries, and Schumer failed to reach an agreement to avert the shutdown during their meeting at the White House. The clip falsely depicts the Democratic leaders as pandering to undocumented immigrants for votes, with Jeffries wearing a sombrero and Schumer delivering a spurious speech about healthcare benefits for illegal aliens.

This incident marks another escalation in the use of digital manipulation tools in political discourse, raising concerns about the impact of such technologies on public trust and the integrity of communication between elected officials and the public.

As the clock ticks down to the shutdown deadline, the fallout from the video continues to unfold, highlighting the deep divisions and the challenging path ahead for bipartisan cooperation. The use of deepfake technology, in particular, poses significant challenges for media ethics and the regulation of digital content, especially as the 2025 elections draw near.