Trump Rebrands 'Fake News' as 'Artificial News,' Sparks Online Jabs

Donald Trump has introduced a new term for the media, referring to them as the "artificial news" instead of his previous moniker, "fake news."

During a rally in Sparrows Point, Maryland, on Tuesday, Trump explained his frequent campaign appearances leading up to the 2026 midterm elections. He stated he needed to personally convey the successes of his administration, asserting, "We had to explain what we’re doing. There’s never been a time like this in our country."

Trump claimed that investment was pouring into the United States under his influence. He then complained that he had to promote his own achievements because the press allegedly would not. "The media doesn’t like talking about that," he said. "I used to call them the fake news but as president I have to be a little more respectful of the media than that, so now I call them the artificial news."

He further elaborated on the term, linking it to his recent redefinition of artificial intelligence as "super intelligence." Trump suggested that "super intelligence" is a more accurate description because it is "not really artificial intelligence, it’s super intelligence." He then connected this to his new media label, stating, "Artificial means fake. So I call them the artificial media, but let’s not get into that."

The shift in terminology was quickly met with online commentary. Critics and social media users responded with jokes, suggesting that by Trump's own logic, the term "artificial news" might soon evolve into "super news." Some users drew parallels between the "artificial president" and his "artificial news," while others questioned the evolution of the term, with one user posting, "Uh, doesn’t that make it superior news now?"

Other reactions touched on Trump's broader rhetoric, with one user commenting, "He has created his own ‘artificial’ reality in order to cope with being a giant failure and the meltdown will be epic when republicans lose the midterms. Buckle up, scary stuff ahead." Another user noted the seeming contradiction in Trump's claims of national success amidst perceived decline, stating, "As the USA continues to tank in virtually every socio-economic metric, Trump proudly says 'there's never been a time like this in our country', without ever recognizing his main starring role in the demise of a once great empire."