Ever since Donald Trump took to Truth Social to announce that he anticipated being arrested on Tuesday, March 21, the eyes of millions across the country have been glued to social media. An ongoing investigation into allegations of Trump sending hush money to Stormy Daniels (Stephanie Clifford) has been taking place over the last couple of years, and it appears that things are reaching the point of no return.
And while much of the country has been waiting with bated breath for news regarding news of Former President Trump’s potential arrest, a man named Eliot Higgins has been creating images with AI software of just that. The pictures began making their way around social media, with some onlookers being fooled into believing they were authentic.
With such convincing images floating around the internet, many are asking whether they missed the official announcement that Trump has been arrested β and if so, how? The images created by Higgins don’t show an easy arrest or one without confrontation, and maybe that idea alone is proof that we haven’t missed anything at all.
So was Trump arrested today? What exactly are these AI images, and what are social media circles saying about them? As always, we’ve got you covered.
What are the AI images of Trump’s arrest?
A Twitter user named Eliot Higgins posted several series of images involving Trump in various states of despair β including mid-arrest, being taken into custody, sitting in prison, and even working out in a courtyard in an orange jumpsuit.
The images look frightfully realistic, which has spurred another conversation regarding the use of AI technology and how deepfakes can be almost impossible to differentiate from un-doctored photos. While some fans thought the prospect was exciting, others were a bit concerned about how real the images looked.
This user states that, while they’re pretty enamored with this specific idea, it is becoming more evident that we’ll soon have to begin questioning everything we see, especially if a photo created by AI software can look this authentic.
The first batch of Higgins’ images seemed to focus on the potential arrest of Trump, while the next showed him in various scenes in the post-arrest period. From working out in the yard to sitting in a cell, Trump was placed into multiple scenarios, and the created photos would make even the most seasoned detective take a second look.
Keeping up appearances and a likeness to Trump, while others surrounding him wore t-shirts under their jumpsuits, Higgins had Trump don a suit and tie.
Higgins’ tweets didn’t spare Melania Trump, either; she appeared to be in the middle of a heated conversation with law enforcement in the created images β and yes, that is an officer looking incredibly similar to Trump in the first snap with Melania.
The images from Higgins’ Twitter account have gone on to be shared by satire accounts online, in TikTok videos, and even on Facebook and Instagram. Without knowing the full story of their AI creation, many have been confused about what was going on this afternoon, and it looks like we’re in for a confusing week moving forward.
Was Donald Trump arrested today?
While a quick look and scroll through the images might make one do a double-take, as of 7:00pm ET, Trump was not arrested today. Several sources online state an indictment is still looming, without a solid bit of evidence presented, or a ball moving forward in a public way, questions on what is taking place will remain unanswered.
ABC News shares that a “lower hurdle” has been jumped on the road to bringing charges against Trump, but it’s insufficient for moving forward. Apparently, some evidence has been presented that “met the elements of a crime,” but there’s not enough for the indictment to occur right now. This information comes from Brandon Van Grack, a former top national security official in the Justice Department.
“It is a lower hurdle, but it is an indication that the government had presented some evidence and allegation that they had evidence that met the elements of a crime.”
ABC News also reports that more must be uncovered before the next step forward can proceed. We Got This Covered will keep you updated as more news becomes available.