California Governor Gavin Newsom mocked Texas Senator Ted Cruz with a viral AI-generated image that portrayed the Republican lawmaker as a dog, escalating an ongoing political feud over energy policies and fuel prices.
The exchange began after Cruz took aim at California’s gas prices and criticized the state’s energy policies in a social media post directed at Newsom.
“The problem isn’t Chevron, it’s California’s stupid energy policies…,” Cruz wrote while blaming the state’s leadership for high fuel costs.
Newsom responded with an AI-generated image depicting Cruz as a loyal dog tied to oil giant Chevron. Alongside the image, the California governor wrote: “Chevron Cruz is a good boy.”
AI post fuels online political feud
The AI-generated image gained traction online, with social media users reacting to Newsom’s sarcastic jab at the Texas senator. TMZ noted that the California governor and his communications team have increasingly leaned into aggressive, meme-style political messaging on social media.
The outlet also compared the approach to the online tactics often associated with Donald Trump, particularly the use of provocative visuals and blunt rhetoric designed to generate viral engagement.
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Trump’s AI spree
Earlier, Trump drew attention after sharing a bizarre AI-generated “No RINOS” image on social media. The digitally created image referenced the acronym “RINO,” or “Republican In Name Only,” a term commonly used by hardline conservatives to criticize Republicans viewed as insufficiently loyal to Trump’s political agenda.
Earlier this year, Trump sparked backlash after reposting AI-created visuals depicting himself in papal-style attire shortly after renewed public debate surrounding the Vatican and the future of the Catholic Church.
Also Read: Gavin Newsom’s wife blasts Trump for ‘disrespecting’ Norah O’Donnell during 60 Minutes interview, ‘Culture of misogyny’
Then in April, Trump shared an AI-generated image that appeared to portray him as a Jesus-like figure healing a sick man. Trump later deleted the post and reportedly said the image had actually been intended to depict him as a doctor rather than a religious figure.
The Mirror US reported that Pope Leo XIV recently warned against unchecked AI development in his first encyclical, “Magnifica Humanitas.” The Pope reportedly criticized the growing use of AI in warfare and argued that irreversible life-and-death decisions should never be handed to artificial intelligence systems.
