On May 18, 2026, at 10:41 a.m. ET, President Donald Trump made waves on social media with a series of imaginative posts featuring himself in striking AI-generated images. Among these, one particularly grabbed attention: Trump is depicted in a dramatic scene where he seemingly destroys various spaceships while standing alongside a brawny alien in handcuffs.
This recent flurry of posts follows the Pentagon's release of documents it characterized as "never-before-seen" concerning unidentified flying objects (UFOs). However, experts analyzing these government files concluded that there was no definitive evidence within to support claims of alien visits to our planet.
In one notable image, Trump is shown alongside Secret Service agents and military members, prominently featuring a silver extraterrestrial figure restrained with shackles. Additional images portray the president managing a spacecraft with explosions occurring in the backdrop, one captioned with the phrase "target destroyed."
Throughout his second term, Trump has often broached topics related to UFOs and extraterrestrials, although he isn't the only modern president to engage with such subjects. During a White House gathering with the crew of NASA's significant Artemis II mission, he hinted at the recently released documents, suggesting, "I think some of it is going to be very interesting to people."
Trump mentioned having "interviewed people" who recounted experiences involving extraordinary sightings, although he provided no further details. He referred to the documents as a "first release," leaving it uncertain whether additional information will follow.
In addition to the alien-themed images, Trump also posted on May 17 visuals of Venezuela and Iran superimposed with the American flag, images of himself piloting a spacecraft, and a series of AI-generated graphics criticizing Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.
This burst of activity came shortly after Trump's return from a two-day summit in China, where he shared images of himself with Chinese leader Xi Jinping amidst his more whimsical posts.
Trump's use of AI-generated graphics and memes on Truth Social has frequently sparked controversy. Earlier this year, he faced backlash for an AI-generated portrayal of himself as Jesus, which he later removed after religious leaders condemned it as inappropriate. He also deleted a February post that depicted former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama in a derogatory manner, following bipartisan criticism.
Contributing: Kate Perez, USA TODAY; Natassia Paloma, El Paso Times.
