Trump Shares Racist AI Video Amid US Government Shutdown Crisis

Following a White House meeting with congressional Republicans and President Donald Trump, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) speak to reporters on September 29, 2025. Francis Chung/Politico/AP

At the time the U.S. government was on the brink of a shutdown due to a budget crisis, Donald Trump posted a racist video created with the help of artificial intelligence. The footage depicted House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries in a sombrero and with a mustache, and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer with a fake voice.

Jeffries and Schumer arrived at a White House meeting with Trump a few hours before the expected government shutdown to discuss the implications of the looming financial crisis.

In this video, Schumer allegedly advocates providing “free medical care” to undocumented immigrants, allegedly because minority voters hate Democrats and may use these votes in the next election.

Mariachi music plays in the background, and the voice of the fake Schumer says: “The truth can’t be hidden: no one loves Democrats anymore.”

The fake voice continues to repeat false claims about Democratic policy and calls liberal leaders “woke.”

The video was posted on both Trump’s X account and on his Truth Social; CNN contacted the White House for comment.

Timeline of Events and Reactions

After the video was released, Jeffries posted on X a statement:

“Partisanship won’t get us anywhere. End the cuts. Reduce spending. We’ll protect health care. We will not back down.”

Minutes later Schumer left a reply on X:

“If you think your government shutdown is a joke, that only confirms what we all know: you can’t negotiate. You can only throw tantrums.”

The White House meeting between Trump and the two Democratic leaders also included Senate Majority Leader John Thune and House Speaker Mike Johnson. It ended without a deal, and the government’s funding was set to expire at midnight on Tuesday. Democratic leaders insisted on health-care funding conditions as a prerequisite for keeping the government open.

In remarks to reporters at the White House, Schumer described Trump as the “ultimate” decision-maker and noted: “If he accepts some of our demands, which we believe are supported by the American people regarding health care and the elimination of wasteful spending, he could avoid a government shutdown, but there are still significant differences between us.”

In his posts on social media, Trump voiced the position that Democrats should keep the government open to continue operating.

Earlier at the White House, Jeffries stressed the need to extend subsidies under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), while Republicans pushed for a “clean” funding bill that would allow the government to operate during extended negotiations. The subsidies remain in effect through the end of the year.

“More than 20 million Americans are on the brink of facing steep increases in premiums, copays, and deductibles as Republicans refuse to extend ACA tax credits that support middle-class workers; middle-class workers are what we are fighting to preserve, protect, and strengthen their health.”