A United Nations expert on Wednesday condemned an AI-generated video shared on former U.S. President Donald Trump's official social media accounts, which depicted a war-ravaged Gaza transformed into a luxurious seaside resort complete with a towering golden statue of Trump himself.

The controversial video, which amassed over 15 million views on Instagram and was widely shared on Trump’s Truth Social network by Wednesday morning, sparked confusion and outrage among social media users. Some speculated that Trump’s accounts may have been hacked, given the surreal and provocative nature of the content. However, hours after its initial posting on Tuesday night, the video remained live without any denial or retraction from the Trump team.

Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on Palestinian human rights, strongly criticized the video in a post on X (formerly Twitter), calling it an example of psychological manipulation.

“What the new U.S. administration is doing is very clear and strategic: it is called psychological overwhelming. Hitting us every day with XXL doses of baffling rhetoric and erratic policies serves to ‘control the script,’ distracting and disorienting us, normalizing the absurd, all while disrupting global stability (and consolidating U.S. control),” Albanese wrote.

Titled “Gaza 2025: What’s Next?”, the 33-second clip opens with a scene of people emerging from a rubble-strewn street through a tunnel onto a pristine beach lined with palm trees and luxury yachts. The AI-generated video showcases a surreal transformation of Gaza into a high-end resort destination.

Set to an upbeat soundtrack featuring lyrics such as “Donald’s coming to set you free, bringing the light for all to see” and “Feast and dance, the deal is done, Trump Gaza number one,” the video includes depictions of Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lounging by a pool in swimsuits, sipping cocktails. Another clip appears to show tech billionaire Elon Musk dancing under a shower of cash on the beach.

The video also prominently features an enormous golden statue of Trump, reinforcing the spectacle’s extravagant and provocative nature.

The video aligns with Trump’s previous statements suggesting a U.S.-led reconstruction of Gaza following the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. His proposal, which included relocating Gaza’s Palestinian population, has drawn widespread condemnation. Although Trump later appeared to moderate his stance, saying he was only recommending the idea, leaders from Jordan and Egypt firmly rejected any forced displacement of Palestinians.

The AI-generated montage has further fueled criticism, with many interpreting it as a tone-deaf attempt to frame Gaza’s future without addressing the devastating impact of war. More than 15 months of intense fighting have left much of Gaza in ruins, with most of its population displaced.

The video’s authenticity has been questioned by media analysts, particularly a scene that closely resembles an AI-generated image of Trump and Netanyahu drinking cocktails, which had circulated online in early February. The increased use of AI-generated content in political messaging has raised concerns about misinformation and the potential for digital propaganda to shape public perception.

As of Wednesday evening, Trump’s team had not commented on the video’s origins or intentions. However, the backlash from human rights advocates, international observers, and the broader public highlights the ongoing debate over the ethical implications of AI-generated media in politics. (ILKHA)