President Donald Trump promoted “medbeds” on Truth Social this weekend, sharing an AI-generated video before deleting it 12 hours later. Since its posting, folks on social media have called out Trump for posting about the far-right conspiracy theory.
Featured VideoThe clip shared by Trump was generated to look like a Fox News segment featuring his daughter-in-law, Lara Trump. In it, she allegedly claimed Trump had launched “the nation’s first medbed hospitals.” The AI Lara Trump shared promises that every American would receive a medbed card.
The video then shifted to a fake Trump in a press conference. The AI-generated Trump said, “Every American will soon receive their own MedBed card. With it, you’ll have guaranteed access to our new hospitals led by the top doctors in the nation, equipped with the most advanced technology in the world.”
What is the medbed conspiracy theory Trump promoted?
The concept of “medbeds” comes from far-right conspiracy theorist groups, especially within QAnon communities. “Med beds are said to be medical beds loaded with futuristic technology that can heal disease and de-age anyone—even your pets,” explained Jonathan Jarry of McGill University’s Office for Science and Society.
AdvertisementBelievers claim that the U.S. government, specifically liberals, hid away futuristic pods capable of curing all ills. Many believe that Trump himself knows about the devices, meaning that his AI-generated video post will fan the flames of the conspiracy theories. Observers remained uncertain where the medbed clip came from or why Trump decided to share it originally.
“The conspiracy theory is that society’s elite/the deep state already has secret access to medbeds, or that famously dead people like JFK are actually alive on medbeds. So the imaginary Fox report has Trump supposedly giving Real Americans access to the elites’ magic product,” wrote @ddale8.
Social media reacts to Trump’s Med Bed video
Folks on X responded with confusion, criticism, and concern about the Truth Social posts. Many wondered why Trump would elevate a baseless conspiracy using artificial intelligence.
Advertisement“Baffled by this video,” @TNOQuoProQuid tweeted. “The president has shared conspiracy theories before but i don’t actually know how to interpret Trump sharing an AI video of himself when he is actually capable of making this exact segment real.”
Others highlighted the connection to QAnon conspiracy theories. “Truly insane that Trump posted a video promising ‘medbeds,’” @willsommer added. “QAnon and other conspiracy theorists believes Medbeds are an all-healing, possibly alien technology that the cabal is keeping from us.”
X user @ariehkovler emphasized the emotional damage behind the conspiracy. “It’s not funny; the MedBed stuff is terribly sad. So many people who are dying or watching a loved one fade away, excited that Trump will finally release all the hidden cures and save them in time. Hang around QAnon-type spaces and you’ll see them posting. It’s heartbreaking.”
Investigative journalist Jacqueline Sweet (@JSweetLI) pointed out the poeticism of Trump deleting his Truth Social post, writing, “Trump’s medbeds TruthSocial post has been DELETED within the last half or so. ‘This Truth no longer exists.’”
AdvertisementSweet dove deeper and found the video on a doctor romance scam account and again on a “junk crypto” account, both on Instagram.
Others pointed out the irony of Trump sharing an AI video of himself. “Take a moment to appreciate just what happened here,” @BrianHJacobson wrote. “Trump posted an AI video of his daughter-in-law and HIMSELF. Getting duped by an AI video of YOURSELF is an unfathomable level of boomerism.”
Advertisement“Does he think he actually said this?” echoed @ettingermentum.
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