Trump Calls for ‘Strong Laws’ Against AI After Fake Photos Showed Him on Epstein Plane

Former President Donald Trump speaks at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas, Texas, on Aug. 6, 2022. Brandon Bell/Getty Images

Former President Donald Trump is warning of the dangers of artificial intelligence (AI) after the technology was used to produce fake photos claiming to show him en route to Jeffrey Epstein’s notorious private island.

“This is what the Democrats do to their Republican Opponent, who is leading them, by a lot, in the Polls,” President Trump wrote Tuesday on his Truth Social platform, reiterating “I was never on Epstein’s plane, or at his ’stupid' Island.” Epstein’s “Little St. James” island in the Caribbean, which hosted many celebrities and political figures, was the site of many alleged crimes.

“This is A.I., and it is very dangerous for our Country!” President Trump wrote. “Strong Laws ought to be developed against A.I. It will be a big and very dangerous problem in the future!”

The warning was made concerning two AI-generated photos showing the likeness of the former president on a plane surrounded by young girls. The photos were posted to X last week by Mark Ruffalo, a Marvel movie actor and outspoken Democrat.

“Gross. #MAGA wants to paint everyone on those flights as pedophiles except the one guy who smiles in a group of young girls all headed to Epstein’s ‘Fantasy Island’ with him,” the actor wrote on Jan. 4

“My bet is there are some decent Republicans left in America that may think this is going too far.”

X users were quick to point out several irregularities typically associated with AI-generated images, such as unmatching shadows, odd blurs, and a missing limb of one of the girls. In fact, the pair of photos have been repeatedly called out for their inauthenticity ever since they began circulating on the internet around last May.

Mr. Ruffalo, who lost the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor on Sunday night to fellow Marvel actor Robert Downey Jr., posted an apology while blaming X owner Elon Musk for not doing enough to tackle “disinformation” on the platform.

“Sorry Folks. Apparently these images are AI fakes,” he wrote. “The fact Trump was on Epstein’s plane and what Epstein was up to is not.”

“Be careful. Elon’s X and his allowing so much disinformation here is driving the value of his app down by 55%.”

Mr. Musk, who is seeking to raise $1 billion for his own AI startup, xAI, has several times warned about the doomsday scenario of a rogue AI destroying the human civilization.

“AI is more dangerous than, say, mismanaged aircraft design or production maintenance or bad car production, in the sense that it is, it has the potential—however small one may regard that probability, but it is non-trivial—it has the potential of civilization destruction,” the tech billionaire said in an interview last April with then-Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson.

During that interview, Mr. Musk also expressed support for government regulation of AI development, even though it is “not fun to be regulated,” since it could be too late to place regulations once AI “may be in control.”

“A regulatory agency needs to start with a group that initially seeks insight into AI, then solicits opinion from industry, and then has proposed rule-making,” he told Mr. Carlson.

Unsealed Jeffrey Epstein Documents

Since last week, more than 200 mostly unredacted documents have been released, containing the names of some 150 individuals—victims and witnesses—described as having associations with Epstein, including Prince Andrew, former President Bill Clinton, and former Victoria’s Secret CEO Les Wexner. They have denied any wrongdoing.

One newly unsealed deposition from May 2016 revealed an account from Johanna Sjoberg, an alleged victim of Epstein’s sex trafficking ring. Ms. Sjoberg denied ever giving a massage to President Trump. However, she recalled the first occasion she flew with Epstein in 2001. Bad weather forced the plane to land in Atlantic City, New Jersey. During the stopover, Epstein took Ms. Sjoberg, along with victim Virginia Roberts Giuffre—both underage—to a Trump-owned casino. Ms. Sjoberg testified that neither she nor Ms. Giuffre gambled because they were underage.

President Trump has not been accused of any wrongdoing related to Epstein’s crimes.

In an interview with the New Yorker in 2002, President Trump described Epstein as someone who “enjoys his social life” and was “a lot of fun to be with.” But their relationship appeared to have ruptured after a contested auction in 2004 over a Palm Beach mansion.

After Epstein was arrested in 2019 on sex trafficking charges, President Trump said he only knew Epstein because “everybody in Palm Beach” did.

“I had a falling out with him a long time ago,” he told reporters in July 2019 at the White House following the arrest of the well-connected financer. “I don’t think I’ve spoken to him for 15 years.”

“I was not a fan of his. That I can tell you,” he added.