Is Donald Trump kissing Anthony Fauci? With apparently fake photos, Ron DeSantis raises AI ante

In one apparently altered image, former US President Donald Trump is seen hugging his bete noire Anthony Fauci, who beams in response. In another, Trump is kissing Fauci on the nose.

This week, these images published by Florida governor Ron DeSantis’ campaign demonstrate how the 2024 Republican White House contenders have elevated their war of words into the AI-driven social media arena, interspersing fact with fiction.

The pictures form part of a video that DeSantis’ rapid response team shared on Twitter. It criticises Trump for not firing Fauci, the former top US infectious disease official whose push for COVID-19 restrictions turned him into a boogeyman for many conservatives.