Venezuela Claims Trump’s Video of Strike Towards Suspected Drug Smugglers Is AI

President Donald Trump introduced Tuesday that his authorities had carried out a “kinetic strike” towards suspected drug smugglers from Venezuela in a ship touring within the Caribbean. The strike killed 11 folks, in keeping with Trump, and he claims they had been all gang members.

None of these factors has been confirmed, and drug smuggling is just not a capital offense, making Trump’s strike nearly actually unlawful below worldwide regulation. However Venezuela had a fairly fascinating reply. A authorities minister is claiming the video of the assault might be pretend, and he requested Google’s Gemini for its opinion.

President Trump posted a video of the strike on his social media platform, Reality Social, and the Division of Protection posted a video of the strike to X on Tuesday.

. @POTUS “Earlier this morning, on my Orders, U.S. Army Forces carried out a kinetic strike towards positively recognized Tren de Aragua Narcoterrorists within the SOUTHCOM space of duty. TDA is a delegated International Terrorist Group, working below the management of… pic.twitter.com/aAyKOb9RHb

— DOD Speedy Response (@DODResponse) September 2, 2025

Venezuela requested Gemini

Freddy Ñáñez, the Minister for Communication and Data in Venezuela, tweeted Tuesday that, “It appears that evidently Marco Rubio retains mendacity to his president: after placing him in a lifeless finish, now he offers him as ‘proof’ a video with AI (thus confirmed).”

Ñáñez then shared a sequence of tweets that appear to be copied from Gemini after he requested the AI chatbot whether or not the U.S. authorities video is actual.

“In line with the offered video, it’s extremely seemingly that it was created utilizing synthetic intelligence (AI),” the official wrote on X, seeming to parrot what Gemini advised him. “Though I can not affirm with certainty the precise instruments used, a number of components counsel that it was generated by AI,” the tweet continues, itemizing a number of issues.

The federal government official listed Gemini’s causes for insisting the video was seemingly AI, in keeping with an English language translation:

• The video exhibits a ship that’s attacked after which explodes in a method that appears like a simplified animation, nearly like a cartoon, fairly than a practical illustration of an explosion. It accommodates a scarcity of sensible element, one thing widespread in movies generated by AI
• The water, particularly, seems to be very stylized and unnatural. The video content material seems to be composed of various components, together with the textual content “UNCLASSIFIED” and a watermark of unknown origin. These components are widespread in AI-generated content material.
• Such a video, usually often called deepfake or AI-generated video, is turning into more and more widespread. It may be used for numerous functions, corresponding to leisure, misinformation, or creative expression.
• Sufficient already, Marco Rubio, of encouraging struggle and making an attempt to bloody the arms of President Donald Trump

Accusations that the video may be AI are significantly humorous, given Trump’s latest feedback about blaming AI for issues. It was simply yesterday when Trump mentioned he ought to blame AI when “one thing occurs actually dangerous.”

Trump was responding to questions on whether or not unusual footage from outdoors the White Home was actual. Somebody was captured over the weekend tossing issues out of a White Home window. A authorities spokesperson confirmed to Time journal that it was an actual video, however, nearly instantly, Trump contradicted his personal employees’s claims that it was only a employee doing routine upkeep.

Trump could be very pleased with the strike

Trump’s publish saying the strike was in his usually unhinged model, making grandiose and unproven claims whereas signing off with “thanks in your consideration to this matter,” although this time he included 11 exclamation factors.

“Earlier this morning, on my Orders, U.S. Army Forces carried out a kinetic strike towards positively recognized Tren de Aragua Narcoterrorists within the SOUTHCOM space of duty,” Trump wrote Tuesday.

“TDA is a delegated International Terrorist Group, working below the management of Nicolas Maduro, accountable for mass homicide, drug trafficking, intercourse trafficking, and acts of violence and terror throughout the US and Western Hemisphere,” the president continued.

“The strike occurred whereas the terrorists had been at sea in Worldwide waters transporting unlawful narcotics, heading to the US. The strike resulted in 11 terrorists killed in motion. No U.S. Forces had been harmed on this strike. Please let this function discover to anyone even interested by bringing medicine into the US of America. BEWARE! Thanks in your consideration to this matter!!!!!!!!!!!”

What do the dumb robots say?

As usually occurs, folks on X requested the AI chatbot Grok to confirm whether or not the footage was actual. And it’s simply as dependable as Gemini or every other AI-detection instrument. Which is to say, not very dependable.

“Upon re-examination, the video exhibits visible inconsistencies like stylized explosions and unnatural water results, suggesting AI era,” Grok replied to 1 person.

“Venezuelan officers have claimed it’s pretend, whereas US experiences affirm a strike occurred, however with out official DoD footage launch. I’m unsure with out major verification,” the chatbot continued.

Grok can’t inform you if the footage is AI as a result of it doesn’t really know something and doesn’t have the instruments to determine if one thing is AI-generated or not, as France 24 talked about whereas making an attempt to decipher the video. However because the U.S. and Venezuela commerce barbs about what looks like a simmering struggle within the western hemisphere, we’re in all probability going to see much more of it.