AI-generated videos targeting Donald Trump and JD Vance spark viral ridicule as China pushes Europe to oppose U.S. tariff policy in a deepening trade war.
Chinese AI videos ridicule Trump’s “made in America” push amid soaring tariffs
Chinese social media has launched a new wave of AI-generated political satire, mocking former U.S. President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and the U.S. Manufacturing Revival Plan.
The digital content, widely shared on TikTok, Douyin, and Weibo, portrays U.S. officials working in sweatshop-style factories.
Ironically, they are shown producing goods like MAGA hats and sneakers — many of which are still mostly made overseas.
One viral video shows Trump and Vance sewing MAGA caps in a dimly lit textile workshop.
The caption reads, “Factories are being located to the United States,” followed by laughing emojis in MandarinAnother depicts Trump fleeing a crumbling White House as fighter jets crash in the background, visually suggesting economic collapse.
A digital cold war: Memes as China’s weapon in the global tariff battle
AI-generated propaganda has quickly become a tool for China’s digital soft power, with content ridiculing U.S. economic strategies surfacing daily.
One particularly striking image shows a militant panda, symbolizing China, slashing at a bald eagle — a classic emblem of the United States.
The style echoes traditional political cartoons. These memes have emerged in response to the U.S. administration’s new tariff policies.
The combined 145% tariff on Chinese imports includes a recent 125% hike added to an existing 20% duty.
Additionally, the tariff hike is part of Trump’s broader attempt to revive U.S. manufacturing and penalize outsourcing.
China, in turn, has responded by raising its tariffs on U.S. goods to 125%, and Premier Xi Jinping has urged the European Union to resist what he described as America’s “unilateral bullying.”
“Even if the U.S. continues to impose higher tariffs, it will no longer make economic sense and will become a joke in the history of the world economy,” declared the Chinese Customs Tariff Commission.
Beijing uses humor and technology to undercut U.S. economic messaging
@mrho8889 #Liberation of USA In retreating from a vast front of global tariff war, President Donald Trump escalated a showdown with the one nation that might be able to beat the United States in a trade duel. Trump on Wednesday suddenly announced a 90-day pause in all the “reciprocal” tariffs that he rolled out with massive fanfare last week. But he excluded China, pushing up its tariff from 104% to 125% in the latest phase of a tit-for-tat struggle that has pitched the world’s two superpowers into a bitter standoff. The president’s decision to back off from reciprocal tariffs came after days of stock market losses and amid mounting warnings that he was about to tip the US economy into a disastrous recession.
The satire isn’t limited to politicians. In one AI video, Trump, JD Vance, and Elon Musk are seen working on a production line crafting shoes — a jab at the notion that U.S. tariffs will miraculously bring manufacturing back home.
While, other viral content paints a bleak image of “reindustrialized America” with obese and sluggish factory workers toiling over outdated machines.
Additionally, these exaggerated portrayals, though humorous, reflect China’s skepticism.
They question the feasibility and impact of Trump’s tariffs on revitalizing domestic production
A widely shared meme on Weibo showed a penguin — possibly referencing the Linux mascot or American consumer identity — wearing a red cap that reads: ‘Make America Go Away.’
The penguin’s speech bubble asks: ‘We have to pay taxes too?’
One person said: The Bully has been bullied
A second wrote: He will like it worse as now china can copy american products to scale
While a third commented: I dont think you could compare the US with China!!! They import lots more to us than we do to them. Im sick of their cheap junk.
Another added: Oh my are you people missing the point… this IS how the rest of the world sees us, especially China
Someone else said: He won’t care. Look at whose doing it. Actors. No one worthy of caring about since they don’t live here and are probably doing it so they aren’t targeted by communism.
The reality behind the satire: America still depends on China for manufacturing
Despite Trump’s promises to “bring factories back to America,” data shows that most U.S. consumer goods are still imported. This is especially true for footwear.
While, around 62% of all shoes sold in the U.S. are made in China, with most of the remainder coming from Southeast Asia
Only 1% of shoes are manufactured domestically.
As concerns mount about the ongoing economic stand-off, analysts are sounding the alarm. Additionally, they warn that consumer prices, especially for imported goods like Nike shoes, could rise dramatically.