Trump’s Desperate Attempt to Undermine Harris’ Campaign

Donald Trump has taken his baseless attacks on his political opponents to new heights, falsely accusing the Harris campaign of using artificial intelligence to generate images of large crowds at her events.

Trump’s Baseless Accusations

In a series of Truth Social posts, Trump made the outlandish claim that Harris had “A.I.’d” an image of a large crowd at a Detroit-area airport rally. The former president alleged that Harris’ plane was greeted by “nobody” but that she “showed a massive ‘crowd’ of so-called followers, BUT THEY DIDN’T EXIST!”

However, the crowds at Harris’ events were real. NBC News reported that the Detroit-area airport rally drew thousands of people. Footage captured by NBC News shows Harris being greeted by a large crowd as she steps off her plane. A Getty photographer also confirmed the large crowd to The Daily Beast.

Trump’s accusations are particularly ironic given his own history of inflating crowd sizes at his own events. He has been captured in video appearing to wave at nonexistent crowds that his campaign has shared to give the impression he’s immensely popular.

Trump’s Projection and Desperation

Trump’s claims about Harris fit his pattern of accusing other people of doing things he has himself already done. However, they also suggest his desperation over Harris’ apparent popularity is growing, as is his seemingly increasing public detachment from reality.

By undermining faith in democracy, Trump can lay the groundwork for rejecting the results of the election if he loses. If he can convince his supporters that the photographs of Harris’ crowds are fake, it’s a short step to convincing them that any votes for her in November are bogus, too.

The Wider Impact of Trump’s Attacks

Trump’s baseless attacks on Harris and his attempts to undermine democracy are part of a larger trend of anti-democratic rhetoric and behavior by the former president and his followers.

These attacks have real-world consequences. They erode trust in our institutions and make it harder for us to have civil discourse and address the challenges facing our country. They also contribute to a climate of fear and division that undermines our democracy.

It is important to reject Trump’s baseless attacks and to support our democratic institutions. We must also work to build a more just and equitable society where everyone has a voice and where our elections are free and fair.