'Next-level cringe': AI-generated image of Trump defense secretary draws scathing response

On Friday, May 2, an official Pentagon account on X, formerly Twitter, posted an AI-generated image of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that was intended to depict him as strong on U.S./Mexico border security. But the image is getting a scathing response from X users, who are pointing out some of its major flaws. And one of them slammed it as "next-level cringe."

The image shows Hegseth at the border, with the words "100% OPERATONAL CONTROL" displayed. And he is near some masked men, one of them with the words "DRUGS" featured. But X users didn't know if the men depicted were meant to be members of drug cartels or anti-drug agents for the Mexican government.

Hegseth, X users noted, is depicted as having a missing pinky even though none of his fingers are missing. And the image makes it look as though he is on the Mexican side of the border, not the U.S. side.

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X user @SmTownWife, a self-described "conservative Christian," tweeted, "Next level cringe that doesn’t actually accomplish anything."

Other X users got into specific flaws with the image.

X user @DanG8r posted, "1) Hegseth and the flag are on opposite sides of the fence. Is Hegseth in Mexico? 2) why is his finger blue? 3) The cartel guy has the word DRUGS written across his gear? (It should say 'drogas')."

X user @red3blog wrote, "Even if you ignore the missing finger, this image makes Hegseth look like he's the bodyguard for Scary Drugs Men."

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@Stevebikes found the image really confusing and tweeted, "Is the masked man behind him wearing a sign that says Drugs or holding a box of drugs? Is he a good guy or bad guy? If those guys are bad guys, why is Pete facing away from them with his defiant gesture? Is he on the south side of the wall? What's going on with Pete's pinky?"

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