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US Senator Ted Cruz has been criticised for sharing artificially-generated images of Charlie Kirk on social media after his death.
On Wednesday (10 September), right-wing influencer Kirk was fatally shot during a debate event on the college campus of Utah Valley University.
From many on the right, including plenty of MAGA Republicans, his death was met with an outpouring of grief. Kirk was credited with galvanising support for US president Donald Trump among young people ahead of the 2024 election.
But, in a bizarre show of grief, Texas senator Cruz has taken to sharing AI-generated images of Kirk on X/Twitter, including one showing him embracing Jesus.
In one AI-generated image, Kirk could be seen comforting Iryna Zarutska – a Ukrainian woman who was fatally stabbed on a train in Charlotte, North Carolina, on 22 August. Another image showed Kirk being hugged by Jesus.
“What the f**k are we doing man,” one X/Twitter user asked.
Another said: “Imagine dying then getting turned into AI slop.”
One person wrote: “This is weird and, in my opinion, deeply insensitive.”
Someone else argued: “Ted really knows his audience and his audience is Facebook boomer.”
“Posted unironically and without a shred of self awareness by not some random blue checkmark rightoid, but an actual United States senator. What the f**k is going on in that country?” one person asked.
Another called the whole thing, “Just so f**king weird.”
Why not read…
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- AOC calls out Trump's response to Charlie Kirk's death
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