Imagine the scene: a solemn House Homeland Security Committee hearing, where Democrat Rep. Bennie Thompson from Mississippi decides to weaponize disinformation right on the House floor. He flashes a massive AI-generated image purporting to show the tragic shooting of Ashlee Pretti (not Alex, as some reports misspell it) during the July 13 assassination attempt on President Trump at a Pennsylvania rally. This wasn’t some innocent mistake—Thompson, a long-time gun control advocate and former chair of the January 6 committee, used this fabricated visual aid to inflame passions and push his narrative that America’s lax gun laws are a clear and present danger. But here’s the rub: Pretti was killed by a bullet from the assassin Thomas Matthew Crooks’ AR-15-style rifle, not some random good guy with a gun as the AI hallucination depicted. It’s a blatant lie, served up with high-tech polish to demonize law-abiding gun owners.
This stunt isn’t just sloppy politics; it’s a masterclass in how anti-2A politicians exploit tragedy for control. Thompson’s display echoes the playbook we’ve seen post-Parkland, post-Uvalde—rush to judgment, ignore facts, amplify emotional imagery to justify confiscation agendas. Remember, Pretti’s death was a horrific byproduct of a deranged lone wolf’s attack, not a failure of Second Amendment protections. In fact, armed citizens and quick law enforcement response likely prevented far worse carnage. By peddling AI fakery, Thompson undermines trust in institutions and distracts from real security lapses, like the Secret Service’s epic failures that day. For the 2A community, this is a stark reminder: our rights are under siege not just by legislation, but by digital deepfakes designed to manufacture consent for disarmament.
The implications ripple far beyond one hearing. As AI tools democratize deception, expect more of this from the gun-grabbers—tailored horrors to sway public opinion ahead of 2025’s renewed assaults on rifles, standard-capacity magazines, and suppressors. 2A patriots, stay vigilant: fact-check relentlessly, call out the charlatans like Thompson, and double down on supporting pro-gun lawmakers who prioritize truth over tragedy porn. This isn’t about safety; it’s about power. And we’re not buying the counterfeit.
