Trump's Deepfake Jeffries And Schumer Videos Teach Us How Not To Negotiate With A Fascist
An important lesson, I guess
Donald Trump is a common, brutish thug. He’s also the duly elected president for the next 1,200 days or so. There’s obviously no easy way for Democrats to deal with him, but the absolute dumbest way is to pretend that he’s not Donald Trump. For instance, even while Trump sent troops into U.S. cities and delivered Triumph of the Will speeches to the military, Democratic leaders still engaged with Trump as if he were Mitt Romney or any other terrible but mostly normal Republican.
Democratic House Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer practically begged Trump for an audience so they could ideally negotiate a deal that would keep millions of Americans from losing their health care and avoid a costly government shutdown. Trump was never interested in a deal. Instead, he subjected Jeffries and Schumer to ritual humiliation. That was hardly a surprise. It’s consistent with his character, which is bad.
When Jeffries and Schumer arrived at the Oval Office, Trump offered them Trump 2028 hats. That’s not just partisan showmanship. It broadcasts his clear intent to illegally run for a third term in defiance of the Constitution. That’s “dictator” humor from the guy who attempted a coup to remain in power after the 2020 election. The very same coup that resulted in a violent attack on the Capitol. Jeffries and Schumer probably should have walked out at this point. Trump wasn’t engaging in good faith, because he possesses none. However, some Blue MAGA types online insisted that this would’ve been simply “performative” or, worse, “theatrical” (gasp!). I obviously like theatre, but it’s worth wondering why certain Democrats think that if their leaders demonstrate moral conviction and a shred of pride, it’s only a “performance” rather than an authentic and fully justified response. When someone insults you to your face (more on that later), you should calmly stare them down and state that your offer is “nothing.”
That wasn’t the only insult. Trump posted an even greater one on social media after the meeting. An AI-generated deepfake video depicted Schumer and Jeffries addressing reporters outside the White House. The fake audio has Schumer lamenting that Democrats “have no voters anymore, because of our woke, trans bullshit.” Deepfake Schumer says, “if [Democrats] give all these illegal aliens health care, we might be able to get them on our side so they can vote for us. They can’t even speak English so they won’t realize we’re a bunch of woke pieces of shit.”
During the video, mariachi music plays in the background, and a silent Jeffries has a fake sombrero and mustache pasted on his face.
Some fretful liberals online have cautioned against sharing this video because they fear average people might actually believe Deepfake Schumer is expressing genuine Democratic Party positions. Apparently, they could even think that Jeffries always resembles a Mexican Snidely Whiplash. I’m not someone who necessarily invokes “Murc’s Law” but c’mon, this video is crudely offensive and openly bigoted. If you think it makes Democrats look worse than Trump or his GOP enablers, maybe just go ahead and stock up on white flags from Costco.
The video almost offended Jeffries more than Zohran Mamdani’s mayoral candidacy. Jeffries responded, “Mr. President, the next time you have something to say about me, don’t cop out through a racist and fake AI video. When I’m back in the Oval Office, say it to my face. Say it to my face.”
Trump didn’t wait for a return visit before revealing how he’d played in Jeffries’ face. He posted the following photo on his social media:
White House photographer Daniel Torok captures Trump pointing in Jeffries’ direction and practically laughing at him while his Trump 2028 coup sequel swag sits on the Resolute Desk in front of Jeffries, who left this meeting without a health care deal or his dignity.
Jeffries noted recently that Trump has never said his name since he replaced Nancy Pelosi as House Democratic leader. Trump does mention Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Jasmine Crockett by name often. Jeffries has tried to spin this snub as evidence that Trump somehow fears him: “Donald Trump has never used my name during his presidency,” Jeffries posted on X last week. “Now he is afraid to meet to discuss the Republican healthcare crisis and pending government shutdown. Why is that? Sincerely, Hakeem Sekou Jeffries”
Of course, Trump obviously wasn’t afraid to meet with Hakeem Sekou Jeffries. Indeed, he greeted with him nothing but disrespect, like he was applying to rent one of Fred Trump’s buildings. Jeffries boasts that he at least walked out of that White House budget meeting without the Trump 2028 hat, but this is a far cry from Pelosi walking out of a 2018 budget meeting like a boss.
Just look at the expression on Pelosi’s face as she puts on her shades after humbling Trump. That’s confidence. That’s power. Jeffries should’ve known he’s in trouble when he’s taking Schumer’s lead. That’s like opening for Andrew Ridgeley or Art Garfunkel.
Rachael Baede, who’s currently bashing Democrats online, wrote in a December 2018 Politico article, “Pelosi privately disses Trump’s manhood after White House meeting”:
Trump “must have said the word ‘wall’ 30 times,” the California Democrat said, according to multiple sources in the room.
“I was trying to be the mom,” Pelosi added, but “it goes to show you: You get into a tinkle contest with a skunk, you get tinkle all over you.”
And then, she went for the most sensitive part of Trump’s ego.
“It’s like a manhood thing with him — as if manhood can be associated with him,” Pelosi deadpanned. “This wall thing.”
That’s not the press Jeffries is receiving. He might as well give all his shutdown interviews from inside a high school locker.
Hours before the shutdown, Trump released yet another racist AI video featuring Jeffries. As the Democratic leader recited his talking points to Lawrence O’Donnell, the sombrero and mustache appeared over his face again while a Donald Trump mariachi band performed behind him. He didn’t bother putting fake words in his mouth, which says a lot.
Trump later released a deep-fake where he tossed the Trump 2028 hat on Jeffries’ head like he’s a human ring ross. Then he pointed and laughed. Jeffries told CNN that he wasn’t going to dwell on Trump’s “erratic behavior.” This is not a human reaction to such brazen contempt. The average voter can neither identity with Jeffries’ behavior nor respect it.
Trump is a coward, like most bullies, but if Democrats do manage to win the House never year, they need a leader who can actually put the bully in chief in his place. Sincerely, that’s not Hakeem Sekou Jeffries.
Jeffries and the rest of the middle of the road crowd of Democrats--let's just call them The Middlers from now on--think that if they carry on as if they were the adults in the room that the country will recognize it and support them. They do not seem to understand that this is not a gentle public debate over policy, this is a war for attention, and a time to rally the team through passion and authenticity.
The policy is deadly important, of course, but much more significant is the war to defend reality, and the war to move the battleship of public opinion to defeat this existential threat. They should be standing in front of a camera each and every day to shout out the truth, that a malicious ghoul and his rapacious followers are running the government and they must be met with resistance at every turn. When they show you no respect, that's when you sneer at them and humiliate them right back directly. When they lie, you denounce that lie. If you want the public to follow, you must lead the charge.
Ask yourself—between Trump and Jeffries, who is coming across as more honest here? Liberals scoff at the question because of course Trump is a constant liar, but think of “honesty” as authenticity—Trump obviously thinks little of Jeffries and shows it, while Jeffries is either catatonic or he thinks Trump is a nasty gross bag of shit yet keeps treating him like a real person.
Jeffries would become a national hero if he just said “I tried talking to Trump but his dementia got way too bad, maybe all the STDs he got from raping children makes it hard for his brain to function. Anyway, he’s the reason everyone is about to lose health care.”
Oh, the so called city fathers would tug at their beards, but fuck it—that’d at long last be some authenticity and there’d be no down side because Trump is already scumming out. Treat him like trash or you’re the one who will look fake and dishonest.