White House deputy chief of staff Dan Scavino faced criticism after posting an AI-generated video depicting a fictional after-party following a state dinner for Chinese President Xi Jinping. The video showed Scavino spraying champagne while riding a gold luggage cart through the White House with his wife, Erin Scavino, and Eric and Lara Trump. President Donald Trump greeted them as they arrived.
In an Instagram post containing the video, Scavino stated, “This is not intended for the Dems heads to explode. Being some of the post-State Dinner party has gotten out, I felt inclined to share mine as well, in complete transparency, with the American People. GOD BLESS THE USA!!!” Newsweek reached out to the White House for comment.
Critics React to AI White House Party
Critics called the posts “tone deaf” at a time when many Americans struggled with the cost of living. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, food prices were 2.7% higher in August than a year earlier, while grocery prices remained 2.2% higher year-over-year. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that gasoline prices had risen 26.7% and electricity prices were 4% higher than a year earlier.
The Lincoln Project’s official X account shared the video, stating, “You’re struggling. They’re partying.” Even long-time Trump supporter Carrie Prejean Boller expressed disapproval, writing on X, “You really have no shame, do you? Many Americans can’t afford groceries, gas or their mortgage payment, and you post a tone deaf AI video of you and your buddies partying at the People’s House. MAGA is dead.”
Sarah Longwell, an anti-Trump Republican and founder of the Bulwark, wrote on X that it was “Real fall of Rome s***.” This reaction came as Trump’s approval rating fell to 37%, the lowest for any president heading into a midterm election in recent Wall Street Journal polls. The same poll found that nearly two-thirds, or 65%, of respondents rated the U.S. economy negatively, and 60% said Trump’s economic policies had worsened the economy.
More AI Partying
Scavino’s video was not the only AI after-party example at the White House. On September 25, another video, the “lost Xi camera roll,” featured Elon Musk finding a camera with images of a raucous party including the president, first lady, Xi Jinping, and the first lady of China.
The video showed scenes such as riding boats on the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, sitting on the knee of the Lincoln statue, riding a horse through the White House halls, and Trump doing a keg-stand. This imagined after-party to the state dinner had over 10 million views. Elon Musk reacted on X, saying, “I kinda wish it was real tbh.”
The Purpose of State Dinners
While state dinners are famous for their glamour and pageantry, they serve an essential role in strengthening diplomatic relationships. These ceremonial events have been part of U.S. history since the 19th century, offering presidents the chance to honor visiting heads of state. Hosting leaders such as England’s King George VI or Mikhail Gorbachev of the former Soviet Union are examples of how these formal events have marked significant moments in U.S. relations with the world.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: John Fitzpatrick and Emma Lee-Sang.
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