Supporters of President Donald Trump have been trying really hard to get Americans on board with the Trump administration’s capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
So much so that they’ve flooded social media with outdated and artificially generated videos that make misleading claims about Venezuelans welcoming the news.
Highlights
- Trump supporters shared outdated and AI-generated videos falsely claiming Venezuelans celebrated Maduro’s capture.
- Fact-checkers revealed videos were from other countries or AI-made, not from Venezuela’s streets.
- U.S. polls show one-third of Americans support Maduro's capture, with strong backing from Republicans.
In recent days, conservative influencers and commentators shared videos claiming to show “massive crowds” celebrating in the streets of Venezuela following Maduro’s capture.
Trump supporters are using AI slop and outdated videos to show Venezuelans celebrating Maduro’s capture
Image credits: The White House/Flickr
One such video shared by commentator Benny Johnson described “massive crowds” celebrating Trump’s capture of Maduro, captioned, “Someone should show this to the Democrats and Corporate Media.”
The post was accompanied by a community note on X, clarifying, “This video is from Santiago, Chile, not the streets of Venezuela.”
Other videos shared by right-wing figures also received corrections. One post claimed to show celebrations across Venezuela, but community notes identified the footage as Venezuelan exiles celebrating in Doral in Miami, Florida, rather than inside Venezuela itself.
The Trump administration has claimed Caracas is using oil money to finance “drug terrorism, human trafficking, murder and kidnapping.”
After months of controversial military activity in the region, American forces seized Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, and transported them to the U.S.
They both pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking. Maduro, who has often been likened to a dictator, has remained the leader of the country for a decade through a series of elections that the U.S. and other countries do not recognize as legitimate.
Exiled Venezuelans waved flags and celebrated the news of Maduro’s capture across the globe. However, many images spreading online are fake.
Image credits: Matt Cardy/Getty Images
Since the capture, there has been a strong attempt by the West to control the narrative about the military action.
Geopolitical analyst Ben Norton wrote, “The US empire’s war propaganda is getting much more sophisticated. You can bet the US government will use AI to try to justify its many more imperialist wars of aggression.”
Far-right radio host Alex Jones also promoted claims of widespread celebration, saying, “Millions of Venezuelans flooded the streets of Caracas and other major cities in celebration of the ouster of Communist dictator Nicholas Maduro.”
He continued, “We need to see the same type of energy here on the HomeFront! We are in the end game and it’s time to start acting like it!”
The statement provided no evidence, and the community note explains, “Video clips is [sic] from 2024.”
An outdated video claimed millions took to the streets to celebrate the capture of Maduro
Another viral video claimed to show Venezuelans crying and thanking the United States for “freeing” them. In the video, people appear kneeling, calling Trump a “hero” and saying, “The people cry for their freedom, thanks to the United States for freeing us.”
Under the video, a U.S.-run account replied, “I’m so jealous. I want the same freedom and the same joy for Iran and the Iranian people.”
The video was later flagged as AI-generated, noting, “The license plates of the vehicles in the video do not correspond to those used in Venezuela.”
Fact checkers, including AFP and BBC Verify, also flagged this video as fake.
Conservative influencer David J. Harris Jr., comedian Terrence Williams, and Elon Musk were among the Trump supporters who shared the misinformation.
Despite these corrections, Trump supporters have continued to frame the operation as a moral victory. One user even went as far as to call for people to keep sharing the tweets, because “even if false, they spread joy and purpose.”
Social media users also promoted claims that major news outlets were hiding the truth. One influencer said, “The MSM media lied to us again,” while asserting that “World Cup style celebrations are erupting all across Venezuela,” a claim not supported by verified reporting.
Within the U.S., one-third of the population seems to support the capture of Maduro. A Reuters/Ipsos poll found that 33% expressed support, while 34% oppose it and 33% are unsure. Support is strongest among Republicans, with 65% in favor, compared to 11% of Democrats.
A new poll shows that a third of the U.S. population supports the capture of Maduro
Image credits: Reuters
The poll also showed discomfort with deeper involvement. Seventy-two percent of respondents said they are concerned the U.S. could become “too involved” in Venezuela. Americans also opposed U.S. control of Venezuela’s oil fields and the long-term stationing of troops.
The AI-generated videos come as the Trump administration signed an executive order in December aimed at blocking states from enforcing their own AI regulations. “We want to have one central source of approval,” Trump said.
The order benefits tech giants who have been calling for U.S.-wide AI legislation, arguing that state-level regulations could slow innovation.
The move was heavily criticized, with critics arguing that it will lead to unregulated AI.
Gary Marcus, a leading voice in AI, wrote on his Substack, “President Trump has trampled over states’ rights and left our citizens in the lurch.”
The spread of AI-generated and misleading videos celebrating Maduro’s alleged capture underscores the broader concern about unregulated artificial media.
California Governor Gavin Newsom echoed those worries, accusing Trump of prioritizing tech industry interests over public protection.
Image credits: The White House/Flickr
“President Trump continued his ongoing grift in the White House, attempting to enrich himself and his associates, with a new executive order seeking to preempt state laws protecting Americans from unregulated AI technology,” he said.
As Mexican political journalist José Luis Granados Ceja wrote in response to the AI propaganda, “In 2002, Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez was briefly ousted in what came to be called the ‘world’s first media coup’ where the lies said on TV paved the road.
“It shouldn’t be a surprise then that in 2025 new tech and fake AI videos are being used toward similar ends,” he added.