Donald Trump’s political strategy has always been an exercise in narrative and iconography, a theatrical performance in which he is the absolute protagonist in a spectacle of power. However, with his second term, this strategy has reached new heights, driven by two key elements: artificial intelligence and an extremely aggressive visual communication approach.
The latest video posted on Truth Social, featuring a fictional “Gaza Riviera” replacing the bombed-out Strip, serves as the perfect manifesto of this new strategy of visual manipulation. This is not merely a provocation but a deliberate use of AI to rewrite reality, constructing a parallel narrative that blurs public perception.
Another symbolic element accompanies this dynamic: Melania Trump’s image transformation. In her renewed role as First Lady, she has adopted a masculine power dress and a detached demeanor, emphasizing authority and coldness— a stark contrast to the persona she embodied during the first term. Her transformation is part of a precise communication strategy, positioning her as a more autonomous and distant figure, reinforcing the message of dominance and control projected by the White House.
The common thread is clear: Trump uses artificial intelligence to create alternate realities, while Melania employs the language of fashion to redefine her public image. Politics is increasingly a matter of perception, where visual storytelling has a greater impact than traditional political discourse.
Artificial Intelligence as a Political Weapon
With the Gaza video, Trump has ushered in a new era of propaganda, where artificial images replace actual facts. The concept is clear: there is no need to persuade the public with arguments—just offer them a new reality to believe in.
Artificial intelligence has radically transformed political communication. Whereas propaganda once relied on slogans and repetition, today it leverages technology to create alternative worlds that play on emotions and visual suggestion. The video depicts Gaza as it could be under American control, symbolically erasing devastation and suffering. The entire narrative structure is based on a deliberately kitsch aesthetic that simplifies and trivializes the conflict through surreal imagery, such as bearded dancers and golden statues of Trump.
This issue goes beyond traditional propaganda. It is not just about presenting a partial version of the facts but about constructing a parallel reality capable of replacing the real one. If the public accepts these images as a possible truth, then any fact can be manipulated and reinterpreted.
Melania Trump and the Language of Fashion
Alongside Trump’s shift in narrative, Melania has also adopted a precise communication strategy, manifested through her new dress code and public demeanor. While in the first term she was perceived as a cold fashion victim, today she presents herself as an authoritative businesswoman, wearing masculine suits, structured jackets, and even ties.
The objective is evident: Melania Trump is trying to distance herself from the role of trophy wife, instead portraying herself as an autonomous, cold, and detached figure. Her choice of masculine attire reinforces this transformation, emphasizing an image of strength and power. Her look mirrors that of her husband, creating a visual effect that strengthens the sense of dominance and authority.
At major public events, Melania has adopted a style reminiscent of corporate leaders, with outfits that convey determination and control. The contrast with her first-term image is stark. If the focus was once on glamour and elegance, today the message is clear: there is no room for frivolity, only for power management.
In this case, fashion is not merely an aesthetic choice but a key element of political communication. Every detail of her new look is carefully crafted to reinforce the narrative of Trump’s second term—a presidency that aims to be more aggressive, ruthless, and uncompromising than the previous one.
Politics as Total Spectacle
Trump has redefined politics as a visual and sensory experience, where content is secondary to emotional and symbolic impact. This strategy relies on three key elements: the use of powerful iconography to evoke strong emotions, reality manipulation through artificial intelligence, and a performative leadership style that turns every public appearance into a meticulously staged scene.
Trump’s second term appears far more structured than his first. While in 2016 his power was built on verbal provocation, today he has become a constructor of alternative realities, harnessing technology, aesthetics, and spectacle.
The most concerning aspect of this strategy is its ability to replace reality with a more compelling visual narrative. It is not just about distorting facts but about completely rewriting the context, eliminating inconvenient information, and offering the public a more palatable, albeit entirely fictional, alternative.
How Communication Must Adapt to Face This Challenge
In the face of this new era of propaganda, traditional communication is no longer sufficient. The challenge is not just to combat misinformation but to develop a new language capable of countering the visual hypnosis created by this strategy.
It is no longer effective to respond to manipulation with simple fact-checking or rational rebuttals. The issue is not just what is being said but how it is being presented. Political and journalistic communication must evolve, creating a model capable of competing with the visual power of propaganda. Information must regain its role as a clear reference point for the public, distinguishing itself from media noise with a new language based on transparency, authenticity, and solid storytelling.
New technologies must become allies in the fight against manipulation, providing tools to identify artificial content and verify sources in real time. The future of communication does not depend solely on the quantity of available information but on the ability to make it accessible and understandable in an increasingly illusion-driven and spectacle-dominated world.
If politics has changed, communication must change with it. It is no longer enough to report facts; they must be made visible in a world where illusion is increasingly convincing.
