Key Takeaways
- AI-generated videos and memes mocking Donald Trump and the U.S.-Iran war are circulating widely on Chinese platforms, an unusual development in a media environment known for aggressive political censorship.
- One of the most-shared clips, reportedly traced to Iran’s embassy in China, dramatizes the bombing of a girls’ school in Minab, Iran—an attack that a U.S. military investigation later attributed to a Tomahawk missile targeting error—and depicts an animated Trump being coached by “gremlin” figures to deny responsibility.
- The China-based clips are part of a broader cross-border phenomenon researchers call “slopaganda”: fast, inexpensive AI-generated propaganda that Iranian-linked producers have used more effectively than the White House’s own AI content, according to information-warfare analysts.
- Precise reach and engagement figures on Chinese platforms cannot be independently verified through Western monitoring tools, making the trend more of a directional indicator than a measurable phenomenon. However, the apparent tolerance shown by Chinese censors is notable.
- The trend extends beyond the Trump-Iran conflict, offering a potential model for embassy-linked or state-adjacent actors to distribute AI-generated political content inside tightly controlled information environments.
A Censorship Gap With a Purpose
China’s internet is designed to suppress politically sensitive content before it can gain traction. That is what makes the current wave of anti-Trump AI videos noteworthy. Reports suggest Chinese censors have made a deliberate decision to allow this material to circulate, even as Beijing publicly maintains a neutral position on the conflict and continues diplomatic communication with Washington.
One of the most prominent examples appears to originate from Iran’s embassy in China. The video focuses on the bombing of a girls’ school in Minab, Iran, during the opening days of the conflict. The strike reportedly killed more than 165 people, many of them children. Although Trump initially suggested Iran may have been responsible, a subsequent U.S. military investigation concluded that the school was struck by a U.S. Tomahawk missile due to a targeting error.
In the AI-generated video, an animated Trump faces questions from reporters while a panel of gremlin-like creatures inside his head urges him to lie. He responds by claiming the United States “didn’t hit the Minab school” and that America “doesn’t have Tomahawk missiles at all.”
Other videos circulating in China take aim at broader aspects of U.S. foreign policy. One depicts an eagle in a suit representing the United States triggering an explosion before imprisoning other countries—represented as doves—while claiming it is for their protection. Chinese state media has also released animated content portraying Uncle Sam fueling a fire labeled the “Hormuz Crisis.”
Why Now: A War, an Oil Shock, and a Snubbed Summit
The surge in anti-Trump content comes during a sensitive period in U.S.-China relations. Trump postponed a planned visit to Beijing to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping because of the conflict with Iran. The trip would have been his first visit to China during his second term.
At the same time, China joined several other countries in declining Trump’s request for assistance in reopening the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important energy chokepoints. Roughly one-fifth of global oil shipments typically pass through the strait. As tensions escalated and Iran restricted traffic, oil prices reportedly rose from around $70 per barrel to more than $100, providing an economic backdrop that may have amplified anti-U.S. sentiment online.
Part of a Bigger “Slopaganda” Machine
The China-focused videos represent only one component of a larger AI-driven propaganda ecosystem. Researchers Michał Klincewicz, Mark Alfano, and Amir Ebrahimi Fard coined the term “slopaganda” to describe AI-generated content designed primarily for propaganda purposes.
According to researchers, Iran-linked campaigns have evolved from simple embassy-style productions into highly viral content, including Lego-themed videos depicting Trump, Jeffrey Epstein, Benjamin Netanyahu, and other public figures as plastic toy characters.
Information-warfare analysts argue that Iranian-linked content often delivers more coherent and strategic narratives than the Trump administration’s own AI-generated war messaging. Critics say much of the White House’s AI content emphasizes military strength but lacks a compelling storyline.
One frequently cited example is an AI-generated video Trump posted in October 2025 showing himself piloting a fighter jet while wearing a crown. Analysts contrasted that style of content with the more structured narrative approach found in many Iranian-linked productions.
Much of the highest-quality content has been associated with an Iranian media group called Explosive Media. The organization has described itself as editorially independent while acknowledging that the Iranian government is among its clients. Although platforms such as YouTube have removed some pro-Iran channels, similar content continues to reappear across multiple languages, platforms, and countries—including within China’s tightly regulated online ecosystem.
The Verification Problem
There are important limits to what outside observers can verify about this phenomenon. Precise view counts, engagement levels, and distribution patterns on Chinese platforms are difficult to confirm independently because Chinese companies do not provide the detailed public analytics available on many Western platforms.
What can be observed is the broader pattern. Multiple international media outlets and researchers have reported the same videos circulating in an online environment that typically suppresses politically sensitive content. While exact audience numbers remain unknown, the consistency of those observations suggests the content is receiving unusual latitude within China’s censorship system.
FAQ
Is China officially behind these anti-Trump AI videos?
No. The most widely discussed video is reported to have originated from Iran’s embassy in China rather than the Chinese government. Beijing has publicly maintained a neutral stance on the conflict, although Chinese authorities appear to be allowing the content to circulate.
What happened at the Minab school referenced in the videos?
A girls’ school in Minab, Iran, was bombed during the early stages of the conflict, reportedly killing more than 165 people. A U.S. military investigation later concluded that the strike resulted from a Tomahawk missile targeting error.
What is “slopaganda”?
“Slopaganda” is a term used by researchers to describe AI-generated content created primarily for propaganda purposes. The concept combines “AI slop” with “propaganda” and is used to describe campaigns produced by a variety of political actors.
Why is China allowing this content to spread?
Chinese officials have not publicly explained their decision. However, observers note that the tolerance coincides with heightened tensions between Washington and Beijing, including Trump’s postponed trip to China and disagreements over the Strait of Hormuz.
Closing Analysis
The biggest unanswered question is scale. Without access to platform-level data from Chinese companies, it is difficult to determine how widely these videos have actually spread versus how much attention they are receiving through Western media coverage.
The more significant development may be the precedent. The apparent ability of embassy-linked content to move through China’s normally restrictive information controls during a major international crisis suggests a model that other governments and political actors could seek to replicate in future geopolitical disputes.
