Fact Check: Did Saudi TV Deepfake Cover Up Trump's Royal Coffee Snub?

Newsweek

14-05-2025

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
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President Donald Trump was criticized for appearing not to drink coffee he was offered while meeting Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman but footage showing him sipping the beverage prompted speculation one of the encounters had been "fixed" with the help of AI.
Trump was accused on social media of disrespecting local customs when he accepted a cup of the beverage on Tuesday but appeared not to drink from it.
Footage shown by Saudi state channel Al Arabiya of Trump actually imbibing the hot drink prompted speculation that AI had been used to "smooth out his manners".
Newsweek has contacted Al Arabiya and the White House for comment.
President Donald Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh on May 14, 2025.
President Donald Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh on May 14, 2025.The Claim
The NEXTA channel claimed that al-Arabiya had used AI to manipulate the video of Trump's meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. It posted video of Trump holding a cup of coffee not drinking it next to an allegedly "edited video" in which he can be seen drinking it.
The outlet said that the reason for this edit is that, according to local etiquette, refusing coffee is considered disrespectful.
What an embarrassment! A Saudi TV channel edited Trump's video using AI to smooth out his manners.
The al-Arabiya channel used AI to edit the video of Trump's negotiations with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
In the edited video, Trump is shown drinking the coffee offered to… pic.twitter.com/T1tLWwIw1E — NEXTA (@nexta_tv) May 14, 2025
The Facts
Trump's approach to cultural traditions is the subject of scrutiny given the high economic and diplomatic stakes of his Middle East tour which were highlighted by Saudi Arabia giving a $600 billion commitment to invest in the U.S.
Ynet reported how after Trump's arrival at Riyadh, he and his delegation, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, were served traditional Arabic coffee. Footage showed how Rubio drank the coffee while Trump held his cup as he spoke with the crown prince before eventually setting it aside.
YNet said that another clip during a reception at Al-Yamamah Palace, showed Trump getting another cup but holding it between his knees without drinking although video later aired on Saudi media showed him drinking.
What an embarrassment! A Saudi TV channel edited Trump's video using AI to smooth out his manners.
The al-Arabiya channel used AI to edit the video of Trump's negotiations with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
In the edited video, Trump is shown drinking the coffee offered to… pic.twitter.com/T1tLWwIw1E — NEXTA (@nexta_tv) May 14, 2025
East European outlet NEXTA was among those who speculated that technology had helped iron out an awkward diplomatic moment.
"What an embarrassment! A Saudi TV channel edited Trump's video using AI to smooth out his manners," its post on X read next to videos it said showed the differences in the encounters.
"The al-Arabiya channel used AI to edit the video of Trump's negotiations with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman," the post added. This theory was amplified by other social media accounts and by Russian state media, including Life News and Ministry of Truth.
Social media users responding to the claims also pointed out the different occasions depicted in the videos. "The first one was in the airport when he didn't drink. The second one was in Royal court after hours of Trump arrival when he drank."
The clips are tightly framed and at different angles making it difficult to compare what is behind the leaders but the background does appear to be different. The alleged "tell-tale" signs of AI manipulation, such as different chair design and positions of attendees, are thus likely due to incidents taking place at different locations.
Trump has publicly said he avoids alcohol, cigarettes because they contributed to the early death of his brother, Fred Trump Jr., in 1981. He also expanded the ban on stimulants to include coffee.
But Trump does not eschew caffeine, quaffing up to 12 Diet Cokes a day, according a report in The New York Times from 2017 which said that during his first term he had a button on his desk that could summon the drink.
Trump's first overseas visit since he got elected for the second time had started well after Air Force One landed at Saudi Arabia's King Khalid International Airport on Tuesday.
After being greeted by Salman and getting a 21-gun salute and trumpets, he went to the Royal Court, where a procession of dignitaries, officials and business figures waited their turn to shake hands with them. Trump also returned a salute given to him by the kingdom's military officials.
The Ruling
Unverified.
While these kinds meetings are long and any clips can be taken out of context, there isn't sufficient evidence to support the claim that the footage showing Trump was changed by AI. Instead, videos appear to show two occasions in which the U.S. president was offered coffee to drink.
On one of the clips in which he is seen drinking, there appears to be different backgrounds, suggesting he may have drunk coffee in one encounter but refrained from doing so in the other.
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