'Is She Even Real?': Melania Trump's 'Robotic' Video Appearance at AI Event Sparks Wild 'Deepfake' Speculation
Some viewers thought Melania Trump looked a little too perfect when discussing AI.
Jan. 16 2026, Published 7:12 p.m. ET
Melania Trump’s appearance at an event focused on artificial intelligence sparked wild speculation — with critics wondering if the First Lady’s video was AI-generated itself, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Trump, 55, read a pre-taped speech from the White House as she was beamed in to the "Zoom Ahead: AI for Tomorrow's Leaders" event on Friday, January 16. Not only was the audio missing at the start of her address, but some viewers thought the former model was a high-tech creation.
Melania Trump Documentary AI Joke
Melania Trump is seen looking super stylish in her upcoming documentary due out on January 30.
Zoom’s CEO & Founder Eric Yuan introduced Trump by telling viewers: "The First Lady has explored innovative ways to engage with AI, and boy, does she have a lot of projects going on, from speaking to fashion, and from business to serving communities."
He also promoted the new documentary Melania, quipping: "She even has an upcoming film release on January 30, which is not AI-generated."
After tossing to a brief introduction video, the audio dropped out as Trump began to speak.
She eventually told viewers: "Today, I urge you to take action. Use AI to unlock new parts of your imagination. Lead with your ideas. Stay sharp.
"But remember, never surrender your thinking to AI. Be intellectually honest with yourself. Use AI as a tool, but do not let it replace your personal intelligence."
'100% an AI Hallucination'
Some viewers thought Melania Trump's speech appeared AI-generated.
While Trump warned against AI replacing human intelligence, some of those who tuned in thought the First Lady was an AI-generated version of herself.
"This is 100% an AI hallucination," one of the participants quipped in the comments of Forbes' live YouTube feed.
"I am amazed AI Melania was free to speak," a second user snarked.
"Speech about AI, written by AI, read by a robot," a third person scoffed, while a fourth added, "Plot twist: This video was made by AI."
Better Quality Video
Critics of Melania Trump have used her heavy accent to make fun of the former model.
Trump's @FLOTUS account on X shared the same video, and the image appeared slightly sharper than in the YouTube version. The comments were also less critical, with far fewer people thinking it was an AI fake-out.
Instead, critics of the First Lady did their tired jabs at her Slovenian accent, with one person jeering: "What is she saying? Is that English? Do we need to deport her?"
A second user cruelly taunted, "It’s like you have peanut butter stuck to the roof of your mouth."
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Ensuring Children Can 'Flourish' in the Digital Era
Melania Trump launched her Fostering the Future initiative in 2025 to help kids with AI literacy.
However, President Donald Trump's wife earned high marks from others for being at the forefront of children becoming AI proficient amid the technology's rapid advances.
"Melania pushing for AI literacy is a smart move. Most people don't realize she actually started focusing on tech safety and digital citizenship years ago with her Be Best initiative. This is just the next logical step for the kids," one fan pointed out.
The mother of one launched the Fostering the Future Together initiative in September 2025 at the United Nations General Assembly "to ensure that every child can flourish in the digital era."
The White House noted in a press release featuring Melania's full speech that she will be "hosting the inaugural meeting of Fostering the Future Together at the White House this spring."
