Opinion | The President Is Alive, and the Golf Video Is Real

Every news cycle seems to bring another viral claim that stretches the imagination. The most recent example is the chatter surrounding footage of former President Donald Trump playing golf, which some corners of the internet insist was artificially generated to disguise his supposed death. This theory has spread quickly online, fueled by the growing public awareness of artificial intelligence and deepfake technology. But here’s the simple truth: there is no credible evidence whatsoever that the video in question is anything but genuine.

It is important to separate technological possibility from proven fact. Yes, AI tools can produce convincing forgeries of a politician’s speech or appearance. Yes, we must remain vigilant in scrutinizing digital media for signs of manipulation. But that does not mean every clip of a public figure is automatically suspect. Extraordinary claims—such as the idea that Trump has secretly died and been digitally reanimated—require extraordinary proof. No such proof exists here.

On the contrary, several straightforward explanations undermine the conspiracy. The clip aired across multiple outlets, sourced from independent recordings, and aligns with a schedule of Trump’s known public appearances. Eyewitnesses were present at the golf course. Independent photojournalists and bystanders posted contemporaneous footage. These converging sources are hallmarks of authenticity, not a digital cover‑up.

Conspiracies of this kind persist because they tap into broader anxieties about truth in an era of media mistrust. But to leap from reasonable skepticism about AI to unfounded claims of presidential body‑snatching only corrodes our ability to tell fact from fiction. When every new video is swallowed up by baseless speculation, citizens are left unable to trust their own eyes, and public discourse collapses into paranoia.

Rather than indulge those rumors, it is more productive to chart a path forward that strengthens our collective resilience. That means newsrooms continuing to vet material, social media companies labeling authentic vs. synthetic media where possible, and educators teaching critical media literacy. At the same time, we as citizens should be careful not to confuse technological possibility with actual evidence.

The recent golf video should be taken for what it is: a former president on the course, doing what he often does, under the watch of cameras and spectators. To twist that into a grim tale of digital puppetry only feeds the distrust that conspiracy theorists thrive upon. Whatever else one thinks of Trump, it is a disservice to truth—and to the public itself—to claim without basis that he has been “replaced” by AI.