Trump Falsely Claims Harris Used AI To Exaggerate Crowd Sizes

On Sunday, former President Donald Trump falsely claimed that Vice President Kamala Harris used artificial intelligence technology to fabricate crowd images at her rallies, promoting an unfounded conspiracy to explain the enthusiasm for the new Democratic ticket.

“Has anyone noticed that Kamala cheated at the airport? There was nobody at the plane, and she ‘A.I.’d’ it, and showed a massive ‘crowd’ of so-called followers, but they didn’t exist!” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post.

The Republican presidential nominee was referring to an image of a large crowd gathered on a tarmac in Detroit, Michigan on Aug. 7, cheering as Harris stepped off Air Force Two.

His remarks echoed a false conspiracy theory circulating among MAGA Republican commentators, some of whom have a history of spreading misinformation, amid an election where advances in AI tools have made it increasingly difficult for voters to distinguish fact from internet conspiracy.

In response to Trump’s allegations, the Harris campaign replied that it is “an actual photo of a 15,000-person crowd in Michigan.” They emphasized that thousands witnessed the rally, including news outlets, and that the reported attendance aligns with what was visible on the ground.

CNN also licensed a Getty Image photo for the story that matches the circulating images.

The Harris campaign additionally seized the moment to highlight the contrast between Harris’ campaign schedule and Trump’s: “Trump has still not campaigned in a swing state in over a week…Low energy?”

The Harris campaign has previously mocked Trump for his frustration over her large crowds, most recently at a Friday event in the Phoenix area that drew over 15,000 people.

“It’s not as if anybody cares about crowd sizes or anything,” joked Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Harris’s running mate, prompting loud cheers from the crowd.

Trump’s promotion of the false conspiracy theory was just one of several social media tirades he directed at Harris over the weekend.

On Saturday, he accused Harris of copying his proposal to eliminate taxes on tips, which she announced at her Las Vegas rally Saturday after Trump made the same pledge at his rally in June.

“[Harris] has no imagination, whatsoever, as shown by the fact that she played ‘copycat’ with, no taxes on tips!” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Saturday evening.

Trump’s false allegations reflect a broader Republican frustration with a presidential campaign struggling to regain its footing after Harris’s entry significantly altered the race.

In the three weeks since President Joe Biden withdrew from the race and endorsed Harris, donations to Democrats have surged to record levels, and Harris’s rallies consistently drawn thousands.

Last week, the Harris campaign launched a tour of seven battleground states as part of the rollout of her running mate, Walz, adopting a much faster campaign pace than when Biden was on the ticket.

Harris’ campaign schedule also contrasts sharply with Trump’s lighter schedule this month, during which he has only held two rallies and several fundraisers.

Trump recently stated that he does not plan to increase his campaign travel until after the Democratic National Convention, which takes place from Aug. 19 to Aug. 22 in Chicago.