Politics in 2025 has officially entered the surreal. If you were scrolling Truth Social or X on the night of October 18, you probably saw it—a video so bizarre it felt like a fever dream. It shows Donald Trump. He’s wearing a gold crown. He’s piloting a fighter jet labeled "King Trump." And then, he starts dumping brown sludge on protesters below while Kenny Loggins' "Danger Zone" blares in the background.
It sounds like a parody. Honestly, it was a parody, originally created by a satirical account called xerias_x. But when the President of the United States reposts an AI-generated clip of himself "fecally" attacking his own citizens, the line between internet trolling and official communication basically evaporates.
The no kings trump video wasn't just a random meme. It was a calculated, albeit crude, response to the massive "No Kings" protests that had just swept all 50 states. Millions of people were on the streets. They were wearing yellow. They were carrying signs that said "No Kings Since 1776." Trump’s response? He leaned into the monarch label with a digital middle finger.
The Story Behind the No Kings Trump Video
To understand why this 19-second clip went nuclear, you have to look at the context of that weekend. The October 18, 2025, "No Kings Day" was the second major wave of demonstrations against the administration’s second term. Organizers from groups like Indivisible and the ACLU estimated that between five and seven million Americans participated.
Trump has a history of using AI to mock his rivals. Earlier that month, he shared a deepfake of Chuck Schumer and a derogatory depiction of Hakeem Jeffries. But the no kings trump video felt different because it addressed a specific movement—the "No Kings" movement—which specifically targets his perceived "autocratic" governance.
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The video itself is choppy and clearly AI-generated. A "sharply orange" Trump (as The Guardian described him) sits in the cockpit. The camera pans out to show the jet soaring over a digital version of Times Square. Protesters are seen holding up phones to film, only to be covered in brown matter.
Why Kenny Loggins Got Involved
You can't use a 1980s anthem for a political "dumping" video without someone noticing. Kenny Loggins certainly did. On the Monday after the video went viral, the "Danger Zone" singer released a pretty scathing statement. He made it clear he never gave permission.
"I can't imagine why anybody would want their music used or associated with something created with the sole purpose of dividing us," Loggins said. He requested the audio be removed immediately. Of course, on Truth Social, those requests usually fall on deaf ears.
Digital Warfare: The White House vs. The Streets
The administration didn't stop at just one video. It was a coordinated digital blitz. While Trump was playing golf in Florida with international business reps, his digital team was busy.
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- TeamTrump on Instagram: Posted a different AI video of Trump as a king in front of the White House, set to Andrea Bocelli.
- The Official White House Account: Shared a photo of Trump and JD Vance in crowns, juxtaposed against Democratic leaders in sombreros with the caption "We're built different."
- JD Vance on Bluesky: Uploaded a clip of Nancy Pelosi bowing to a sword-wielding "King Trump" to the song "Hail to the King."
It’s a weirdly effective strategy. By leaning into the "King" insult, they strip the sting away for their supporters. They turn a serious accusation of authoritarianism into a "joke" that "liberals take too seriously." When asked about the videos, Vice President JD Vance simply said he thought they were "funny."
The Real Impact of the "No Kings" Protests
Despite the mocking videos, the protests were significant. This wasn't just a New York or D.C. thing. People gathered in Guntersville, Alabama, and Nome, Alaska. In Philadelphia, the "whimsical" nature of the protest saw people dressed as pandas and T-rexes.
The movement's core message is that America's power belongs to the people, not a monarch. They chose the color yellow to mirror pro-democracy movements in places like Ukraine and Hong Kong.
What the "No Kings" Video Tells Us About the Future
We are now in an era where the presidency is partially a meme war. Factual accuracy doesn't matter as much as "the vibe." The no kings trump video is a perfect example of this. It doesn't matter that it's fake. It doesn't even matter that it's gross. What matters to the administration is that it dominated the news cycle, shifting the conversation from "millions of people are protesting" to "did you see the video of the jet?"
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It’s a distraction tactic. It’s also a way to signal to the base that the administration isn't intimidated by the "No Kings" rhetoric.
Actionable Insights for Navigating Political Media
If you're trying to make sense of this landscape, here is how you should handle these viral moments:
- Verify the Source: Most of these "official" videos start on fringe X accounts before being amplified by the White House or the President.
- Look for the Disclaimer: While many of these clips lack them, some Republican social media accounts have started adding tiny "AI-generated" labels in the corner to avoid platform bans.
- Watch for the Music: High-profile artists like Loggins often provide the first legal "pushback" against these videos, which can lead to them being taken down on mainstream platforms like Instagram or YouTube while remaining on Truth Social.
- Distinguish Between Deepfakes and Satire: The no kings trump video is clearly satire because of its exaggerated nature, but deepfakes like the ones of Chuck Schumer are designed to look real and are far more dangerous for misinformation.
The "No Kings" movement isn't going away, and neither is the administration's use of AI to troll them. Expect the digital battlefield to get even weirder as we head toward the 2026 midterms.
Practical Next Steps:
Keep an eye on the NoKings.org map for upcoming local actions. If you're concerned about the use of AI in political ads, check out the latest filings from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regarding AI-generated content in broadcast media. They’ve been under pressure to regulate these types of videos, though the current administration has been vocal about its opposition to "censoring" digital expression.
Whether you think the video is a hilarious bit of trolling or a sign of a decaying democracy, one thing is certain: the king imagery is here to stay for this term.