Vance Defends Trump's Sombrero Deepfakes During Shutdown

Vice President JD Vance defended and laughed about AI-generated deepfake videos President Trump posted that depict House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries wearing a sombrero and an exaggerated mustache and that use altered audio, saying “I think it’s funny” and that the posts were jokingly poking fun at Democrats. Jeffries and other Democrats denounced the videos as racist, bigoted and misleading and criticized the use of stereotypical imagery and altered audio amid tense negotiations. Vance questioned accusations of racism and said he would stop the sombrero posts if Jeffries helped reopen the government. His remarks came on the first day of a federal government shutdown and have drawn bipartisan criticism and wide media attention. The episode highlights tensions between political theater using AI-manipulated content and the practical need for cooperation to avert shutdown furloughs and service disruptions.