GOP strategist reveals 'grotesque and un-American' message hidden in Trump’s AI 'gift'

Steve Schmidt, former advisor to Sen. John McCain (R-Az.) noticed some symbolism in the latest artificial intelligence (AI) image promoted by the White House.

The White House X account posted a giant gold eagle claiming that it was affixed to the Truman Balcony on the south side of the White House. Freelance photographer Andrew Leyden posted a photo of the White House at 9:30 p.m. EST on Monday night, showing that the eagle wasn't real, but it didn't stop anger from erupting online.

Schmidt was among them, calling the eagle "grotesque and un-American."

He pointed out that "11 stars represents the Confederate States of America, not the United States of America."

The official United States Great Seal features an eagle with 13 stars, which represent the original 13 colonies. After the Civil War, versions were crafted using 11 stars representing the southern states that seceded from the Union until after they lost the war and returned to the American flag, a National Geographic report outlined.

One French-speaking person noted how similar it looks to the Reichsadler, an Art Deco-styled version of an eagle designed by the Nazi Party in the 1920s. The Reichsadler clutches a wreath that has the swastika within it. It's recognized as a hate symbol across the world.

"It's going to take a while to de-trashify the White House when he leaves," commented The Atlantic's Tom Nichols.

He's referencing the amount of gold embellishments all over the White House that Trump has super-glued to walls and fireplaces. A recent book by Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan cited one staffer observing Trump with the glue and gold pieces, more focused on decorating than the work of the American people.

Mike Nelson commented that the language Trump used was particularly interesting when sharing the image. According to Trump, the eagle is "a golden gift to the White House for its 250th birthday year."

However, the White House isn't 250 years old. When America celebrated its first official year, the capital was in New York City. It was then moved to Philadelphia in 1790 and officially became the U.S. capital once the White House was built in 1800. While construction began in the 1790s, it wasn't finalized until ten years later. The first president living there was John Adams.

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