Critics Are Convinced Trump Thought AI Teddy Roosevelt Was Real

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SAUL LOEB / AFP via Getty Images

President Donald Trump made some interesting comments during his speech at the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library in North Dakota. For one, he made a weird joke about having a threesome with two of his sons. And he also claimed to have spoken to Roosevelt, which confused tons of people online because, uhh, the former president died more than 100 years ago.

But soon after the comment started circulating on social media, more information emerged and shed light on what Trump was likely referring to during his speech. People still found it concerning, though.

At first, people worried that Trump imagined the whole thing.

During his speech, Trump said, “I even had a conversation with Theodore Roosevelt.” He also shared some specific details from this supposed conversation. Trump explained, “I said, ‘What did you think about the Panama Canal? Do you consider that your greatest achievement? How do you feel about the fact that the Democrats gave the Panama Canal away to Panama for $1?'”

In response to a clip from his speech, one critic on X wrote, “He had a conversation with a man who died 107 years ago? 👀”

Lots of other commenters mentioned dementia, with one person noting that the speech seemed like a good reminder to “stop electing senior citizens.”

But earlier that day, Trump had spoken to an AI simulation of Roosevelt.

This is most likely what he was referring to during his speech, but because he didn’t actually phrase it this way, a lot of critics on social media assumed that he might have thought the AI Roosevelt was real.

Margo Martin, a special assistant to Trump, shared footage of Trump interacting with the AI simulation and asking the exact question he mentioned during his speech. “President Trump asks AI President Roosevelt…’Do you consider the Panama Canal your greatest achievement?'” Martin captioned the footage.

She also shared another clip, which showed another interaction Trump had with the AI simulation of Roosevelt. “Every day a president faces storms most people never see, but if you keep your nerve and remember the nation comes first, you get through,” the AI Roosevelt said. “I know you know that feeling yourself.”

Trump replied, “Well, I appreciate those words, those words are fantastic, and I just want to say it’s an honor to be with you today, and we are making a little bit of a tour, some of the fantastic things you’ve done.”

Critics didn’t find this reassuring.

In their eyes, Trump was speaking to the AI simulation in the same way he would speak to a real person. After seeing both Trump’s speech and his interaction with the AI version of Roosevelt, some people commented on how Trump seemed to think the AI simulation was actually Roosevelt himself.

“He 100% really thinks he’s speaking to Teddy Roosevelt,” one commenter wrote in response to Martin.

Someone else warned Martin that she’s not actually making Trump look any better by sharing this footage. “He comes across as a delusional idiot talking to a hologram, as if it is a real person,” they said.

“Has anyone told him what AI means?” another commenter questioned. Not everyone found the interactions concerning, though. Those who defended Trump said he was clearly walking through an exhibit that was meant to be interactive. The fact that he interacted with the exhibit doesn’t mean he thought Roosevelt was really there, but the way he explained the interaction during his speech has obviously raised questions.

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Paige Sheffield (she/her)