Trump's AI Naruto video sparks backlash: 20,000 sign petition

Almost 20,000 people in Japan have signed an online petition condemning U.S. President Donald Trump and the White House for using manga and anime characters in AI-generated social media content. The latest example, uploaded to Truth Social on Saturday, features Trump as ninja Naruto Uzumaki from the globally popular series 'Naruto.' The clip is part of an AI-generated music video for "Thank You, President Trump," a song by Anthony Constantino, a Republican congressional candidate endorsed by Trump. The video portrays Trump in various settings—riding a camel, standing before the Leaning Tower of Pisa, and planting an American flag on the moon—to suggest global admiration. Fans of the series reacted furiously, viewing the appropriation of iconic characters for political branding as disrespectful and culturally insensitive.

This incident is part of a broader pattern of Trump leveraging AI-generated content throughout his political career to enhance his image. The petition's rapid accumulation of signatures highlights growing frustration among Japanese audiences over the unauthorized use of their cultural exports. The controversy underscores tensions between digital creation, cultural ownership, and political messaging, as AI tools make it easier than ever to remix beloved characters into new contexts. While Trump and his team may see the video as a lighthearted tribute, the backlash reveals that cross-cultural borrowing without permission can backfire, especially when it involves sensitive national icons.