Fact check: Iran's AI-generated video of Trump fainting after midterms loss falsely shared as real

Democrats seized both chambers in the 2026 midterms, dealing Trump a major setback. Iran mocked his defeat with a viral AI-generated video of Trump fainting. The Republican Party, led by President Donald Trump, suffered a crushing blow in the 2026 midterm elections as the Democrats regained control of both the US House of Representatives and the US Senate.President Donald Trump. (Bloomberg)Surveys conducted both before and after Tuesday's polling revealed that the major driver of voters' dissatisfaction with the Trump administration was inflation, partly triggered by the Iran war. On October 23, Reuters published a report citing insiders and officials in Tehran who suggested that Iran is dragging out the conflict to weaken Trump politically before the midterm elections.As the results on Tuesday and Wednesday showed, Tehran's strategy seems to have worked, with Trump and the GOP suffering a rout. And Tehran was quick to take a dig at the 80-year-old President after the results came in.AI-generated Trump video shared by Iranian Embassy goes viral as realDeep DiveAfter the Democrats' victory in the US midterms, the Iranian Embassy in India shared an AI-generated video in which Trump could be seen fainted, purportedly after the midterm loss. It shows the 80-year-old being carried by Secret Service agents before being thrown in a dustbin, labeled “hazardous waste”.The video went viral on social media, with many users misconstruing it as a real video of Trump fainting. The end of the video showing Trump being thrown into the dustbin makes it clear that it is AI-generated. But the claim that Trump fainted gained traction as social media pages used screengrabs from the video on thumbnails to mislead viewers.What Trump said after the midterm lossTrump reacted to the midterm election loss saying that he doesn't view it as "a hit" on himself. “I don’t view it as a hit on me,” Trump said in a phone interview with CNN. “We’ve had the greatest two years in the history of the presidency in terms of the economy, in terms of all the things that we’ve done.”Also read: Senator Ted Cruz predicts ‘relentless impeachment’ against Trump as Democrats gain Congressional controlIn an interview with Fox News, Trump suggested that the Republican candidates are to blame for the Republican washout as they couldn't “inspire the people.” “I thought they’d do better,” Trump said. “They just didn’t inspire the people to get out and vote,” he told Fox. “And I wasn’t on the ballot. If I was on the ballot, they would have got out.”Trump, however, also acknowledged that the widespread polling against Republicans, especially those supported by him, was due to a "mood in the air."Shamik is a journalist covering the United States for Hindustan Times. He has more than four years of experience reporting on US politics, sports, and major breaking stories across fast-moving cycles. He previously worked at Times Now and Sportskeeda, building strong newsroom instincts and digital storytelling skills. At HT.com, he focuses on day-to-day coverage of US political developments while also handling high-impact stories that demand speed, accuracy, clarity, and context under pressure. Shamik has extensive experience covering NFL game days over the past two years, coordinating live updates, analysis, and explainers. He is particularly drawn to large news moments such as US elections and the Super Bowl, where he thrives at the news desk working alongside the team. He holds degrees in Media Studies from Jamia Millia Islamia and English Literature from Jadavpur University. Before entering journalism, he briefly worked in digital marketing and political consultancy roles. Currently a Senior Content Producer at HT Digital, he is driven by curiosity, discipline, and a constant desire to explore new and obscure topics. Outside work, he enjoys reading, films, sports, and learning continuously.Read More