On the evening of October 19, 2025, President Donald Trump sent shockwaves through the nation with a social media post that many have called one of the most bizarre and provocative of his presidency. The 19-second video, shared on his Truth Social account, depicted Trump wearing a crown and piloting a fighter jet emblazoned with the words “King Trump.” As the jet swooped over New York City, it dropped what appeared to be excrement onto crowds of demonstrators participating in the nationwide “No Kings” protests. Set to Kenny Loggins’ iconic “Danger Zone” from the Top Gun soundtrack, the video quickly became a lightning rod for outrage, ridicule, and debate about the president’s state of mind and the direction of his administration, according to The New York Times.
The timing of Trump’s post was no accident. That same day, millions of Americans had taken to the streets in cities and towns across all 50 states, waving signs reading “I Pledge Allegiance to No King.” The so-called “No Kings” movement, organized by progressive coalitions such as Indivisible, 50501, and MoveOn, was a direct response to what many see as the administration’s increasingly authoritarian tendencies. The protest in New York City was one of the largest, and the president’s video specifically targeted footage from that demonstration, incorporating real clips of left-wing influencer Harry Sisson being doused by the AI-generated brown liquid as he marched through Manhattan.
The grotesque imagery drew immediate condemnation from lawmakers and commentators across the political spectrum. Hawaii Democratic Senator Brian Schatz took to social media, asking incredulously, “But seriously why would the President post an image on the Internet of airdropping feces on American cities?” New York Democratic Representative Yvette Clarke echoed the sentiment, while countless citizens expressed their shock and disbelief online. “Posting such a video shows how unstable Trump is,” wrote one commenter on Yahoo! Entertainment. Another added, “He lost his mind. And maga loves it.” A third observer remarked, “A perfect metaphor for what he’s doing to the constitution and our economy. Well played, Mr. president.”
Yet, in a twist that only deepened the controversy, the White House appeared to join in on the joke. The official White House X account posted, “We’re built different,” and later shared an image of Trump and Vice President JD Vance wearing crowns, seemingly embracing the royal imagery that has become a recurring theme of this administration.
Within hours, the internet was awash with parody videos and memes, many flipping the script by depicting Trump himself in absurd or humiliating scenarios. Some showed him in a diaper, others had him being “dumped on” by his own supporters. “Two can play at that game,” quipped one critic. “Take that MAGA,” another chimed in. The technology Trump used to mock his detractors had become a tool for his critics to mock him right back.
This was hardly the first time Trump and his team had leaned into monarchal or religious symbolism through AI-generated content. Back in February 2025, the White House’s official account referred to Trump as a “king” and posted an image of him with a crown. In May, just days after Pope Francis’ funeral in Rome, the president posted an AI image of himself dressed in papal vestments and headdress, a move that many religious leaders found inflammatory. Pastor Jamal Bryant asked publicly, “Now he wants to be king and pope?” The White House compounded the uproar by reposting the papal image on its own account.
Trump’s affinity for royal trappings reached a new level earlier this year when White House deputy chief of staff Taylor Budowich shared an AI image of the president as a king. Trump enthusiastically reposted it on Truth Social, declaring, “Long live the king,” after scrapping New York City’s congestion pricing program. The symbolism was not lost on his critics.
California Governor Gavin Newsom, a frequent Trump adversary, took a swipe at the administration’s lavish spending and taste for gilded décor. On October 7, Newsom posted AI-generated images depicting Trump as Marie Antoinette, the infamous French queen whose indifference to the common people became legendary. Newsom’s post referenced the administration’s announcement of a $200 million state ballroom construction and the transformation of the Oval Office into what detractors have called a gaudy showcase of wealth. Reports detailed gold fixtures, gilded tables supported by golden eagles, elaborate filigree, and a giant gold mirror allegedly positioned for Trump to admire his own reflection.
The president’s fascination with that mirror took center stage again on October 20, 2025, during a White House meeting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. What was supposed to be a discussion on defense, trade, and rare earth minerals took an odd turn when a cameraman accidentally hit a mirror. Trump launched into a rambling monologue: “You got to watch that. Watch that. You’re not allowed to break that. That mirror is 400 years old. The camera just hit the mirror,” he said, according to CNN. “I just moved it up here special from the vaults. And the first thing that happens, the camera hits it. Hard to believe, isn’t it? Hard to believe. But these are the problems in life.”
Trump’s increasingly erratic behavior has not gone unnoticed by former allies on the far right. On October 20, Nick Fuentes, a former MAGA supporter and far-right commentator, used his online show “America First” to sharply criticize the president. “Yeah look, something is wrong with him, man,” Fuentes said, agreeing with a viewer’s assessment that Trump seems slow, repetitive, and out of touch. “He’s a weird guy and some of the stuff that he does, just the way that he’s always glazing himself and repeats himself. He’s not right in the head.” Fuentes, whose own views have been widely condemned as racist and antisemitic, went on: “He’s a weird dude like he’s an odd cat. And maybe you need to be to be as tough as he is, but he’s not sharp.” He concluded, “Now he’s just slow and monotonous and repeats himself and seems to really not know what’s going on. So yeah, I agree with you.”
Even professionals have weighed in on the president’s mental state. Psychologist Dr. John Gartner told The Daily Beast Podcast that Trump’s tendency to go off on tangents, as he did during the Australian prime minister’s visit, points to cognitive decline. “He really is losing his ability to think clearly, to plan, to understand things and to inhibit his speech and his behavior,” Gartner said.
As the dust settles from this latest spectacle, one thing is clear: the president’s penchant for spectacle, self-aggrandizement, and digital provocation has left the nation both bemused and deeply unsettled. Whether these antics are calculated strategy or signs of something more troubling, Americans are left to grapple with the image of a leader who, at least for now, seems more interested in playing the king than in uniting a divided country.
