NEED TO KNOW
- Trump posts deepfake of Jeffries and Schumer starring in “The Borderline Boys”
- Vance says sombrero meme is “funny, festive, and fiscally responsible”
- Jeffries asks for apology, receives mariachi ringtone instead
Vice President JD Vance defended President Donald Trump’s latest social media post, an AI-generated video featuring House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries in a sombrero and fake mustache, calling it “a lighthearted meme in a deeply unserious time.”
“It’s funny,” Vance told reporters between bursts of laughter at the White House briefing. “We’re just having a good time. You can work on government funding while also poking fun at Democrats for, you know, existing.”
The deepfake, shared by Trump on Truth Social, depicts Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer discussing border policy while upbeat mariachi music plays in the background. Critics, including Jeffries himself, called the video racist, while Trump labeled it “a celebration of diversity through comedy and Artificial Intelligence.”
Sombreros and Shutdowns
“If Hakeem helps us reopen the government, we’ll stop with the sombrero memes,” Vance joked. “Maybe. No promises.” He then assured reporters the administration takes cultural sensitivity “very seriously, especially when it’s polling well in Texas.”
Jeffries, speaking to reporters on the Capitol steps, rejected the idea that bigotry could be brushed off as humor. “If the president has something to say, he can say it to my face,” he declared. “Preferably without cartoon maracas.”
Asked if the meme crossed a line, Vance looked puzzled. “I don’t even know what line people are talking about,” he said. “Is Jeffries even Mexican? Can we at least fact-check the sombrero before we cancel it?”
When AI Meets IQ
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the president’s creative instincts. “He likes to share memes, he likes to repost memes, he likes to live memes,” she said. “Honestly, it’s refreshing to have a leader who speaks fluent internet.”
Despite ongoing criticism, aides confirmed Trump is already planning his next release: an AI remix of “La Bamba” called “Build La Wall.”
It’s hard to call something racist when it’s clearly bipartisan stupidity
Dr. Melvin Cortez, Center for Artificial Inelegance
