US President Donald Trump has raised eyebrows with an outlandish AI-generated video of his improbable vision for turning Gaza into a beach resort, featuring a gargantuan golden statue of himself. The contentious footage imagines the war-torn area redeveloped into an ostentatious tourist destination adorned with gauche gold Trump-branded merchandise and luxury hotels.
In the clip he joins Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in leisure by a poolside, reports the Mirror. And the surreal representation features Elon Musk gleefully surrounded by cascades of cash and the imposing golden effigy of Trump raised amidst the cityscape.
The provocative 33-second video, titled “Gaza 2025: What’s Next?” showcases Trump’s contentious proposition for the future of Palestinian territories, revealing it starkly to viewers. It kicks off with a troubling AI scene of a Palestinian boy fleeing from militants amid destruction.
It quickly shifts to cranes and construction crews seen rebuilding the shattered landscape. A woman and two children emerge from a tunnel into a rejuvenated urban setting, while at street level, revamped thoroughfares brim with palm trees, upscale vehicles, and vibrant marketplaces bustling with life.
Musk is captured eagerly diving into a hummus dip with some flatbread as men with beards, donning the AI’s interpretation of vibrant Middle Eastern attire, dance on the beach. The video plays into Mr Trump’s vanity, featuring a boy in the centre of a street, clutching a golden balloon shaped like the head of the US President.
Then viewers are treated to coastal vistas portraying Gaza in a way that echoes the lavish presentations often associated with Dubai. Soon after, Mr Musk is shown basking in a shower of American dollars to the applause of onlookers near the shore.
The footage wraps up showcasing a hotel emblazoned with “Trump Gaza” referencing the former president’s various international properties. A grand golden statue of Trump is subsequently highlighted at a roundabout, followed by glimpses of Trump-themed goods being sold in markets, while he and Mr Netanyahu lounge beside a pool in swimwear.
Since its release on TruthSocial on Wednesday morning, the clip has amassed over a million views across numerous accounts. Reactions online have been critical, with X user @JohntheLyricist labelling it “disgusting, even by Trump standards”.
Another account, @Ophelia574, remarked: “Just showed this to an Egyptian colleague. Her reply would suspend my account.”
Meanwhile @Marianne Thorn reflected: “I have just started rereading George Orwell’s 1984. Somehow everything seems so close to reality. It is really scary.”
Republican Mr Trump is poised to confront significant opposition from Palestinian groups and US critics who are wary of the country becoming entangled in foreign conflicts. The US president incited considerable criticism earlier this month at a press briefing alongside Mr Netanyahu.
At this media event held at the White House, he announced: “The US will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job with it too. We’ll own it and be responsible for dismantling all of the dangerous unexploded bombs and other weapons on the site, level the site, and get rid of the destroyed buildings, level it out, create an economic development that will supply unlimited numbers of jobs.”
The comments made by Mr Trump have sparked contentious debate; with his fiercest detractors accusing him of promoting what amounts to ethnic cleansing. However some supporters uphold the view his proposal is a daring attempt to address a situation that currently fails to please either Israelis or Palestinians.