A fabricated AI image of President Trump kissing a woman went viral across social media platforms despite being quickly debunked as fake. The blurry image, first posted on Sept. 14, showed Trump on a golf course and resembled his assistant Natalie Harp. It spread rapidly from Threads to Facebook, Instagram, and X, owned by Elon Musk.

Researchers confirmed it was AI-generated, but not before it amassed tens of millions of views. The diffusion highlighted how AI-crafted content outpaces detection efforts ahead of the Nov. 3 midterms. The White House denounced the fabrication, while Democrats faced unsubstantiated attacks.

Darren Linvill noted the image's "well-crafted" realism due to its fuzzy, paparazzi-style aesthetic. Martin L. Dart's Threads post was identified as the catalyst for viral spread.

The incident underscores the vulnerability of online audiences to affirming narratives, with the image serving as a "smoking gun" for critics while raising concerns about AI-driven disinformation.