POLICY WIRE FACT CHECK: Video allegedly shows 104-year-old woman Mabel Rose Thompson chiding Trump. Is it real or AI?
The Claim A viral video circulating on social media platforms, including Threads and TikTok, claims to show a 104-year-old woman named Mabel Rose Thompson criticizing former U.S. President Donald...
The Claim
A viral video circulating on social media platforms, including Threads and TikTok, claims to show a 104-year-old woman named Mabel Rose Thompson criticizing former U.S. President Donald Trump. The clip, which has garnered over 2 million views, features the elderly woman stating that Trump was the worst president she has ever seen during her lifetime. The video was first shared in September 2026, with the caption reading, “At 104, I’ve Seen 18 Presidents. Trump Was the Most Unforgettable.” The claim gained traction after being reposted by users on various platforms, leading to widespread public concern about its authenticity.
The video begins with the woman introducing herself as Mabel Rose Thompson, born in 1922, and asserting that she has witnessed 18 U.S. presidents during her lifetime. She then delivers a scathing critique of Trump, focusing on his character and alleged divisive impact on American society. The video was later found on the YouTube channel Real Talk With Time, where it was labeled as AI-generated content. The clip’s visual elements, including the woman’s appearance and the room in which she appears, have raised significant questions about its legitimacy.
The Details & Investigation
Upon investigation, the video was traced back to a YouTube channel called Real Talk With Time, which posted the clip under the title “At 104, I’ve Seen 18 Presidents … Trump Was the Worst.” The video carries an AI-generated content label, a feature that creators can manually apply when uploading videos. This label alone raises red flags, as it suggests the content may not be authentic. Further analysis confirmed this suspicion, as multiple indicators pointed to the video being entirely generated using artificial intelligence.
Snopes, the fact-checking website that initially investigated the claim, conducted a thorough examination of the video. They noted that the elderly woman’s appearance—particularly her waxy-looking skin—is a common characteristic of AI-generated images. Additionally, a reverse image search revealed no credible evidence of a real person named Mabel Rose Thompson who matches the description in the video. The name itself appears to be fabricated, further supporting the conclusion that the video is not genuine.
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Another critical piece of evidence came from the bookshelf visible in the background of the video. A detailed inspection showed that the books on the shelf had illegible text on their spines, a telltale sign of AI-generated imagery. According to research from Northwestern University’s Kellogg Insight, such anomalies are frequently found in AI-created content. Furthermore, the Pangram AI-detection tool, used by Snopes, confirmed that the video’s spoken text was 100% AI-generated, and the image itself was labeled as Fully AI. These findings strongly suggest that the entire video is a digital fabrication designed to mimic a real-life interview.
Despite these findings, the YouTube channel’s owner has not provided any official explanation regarding the origin of the video or the tools used to create it. The channel’s only members-only video, which requires a paid subscription, features another AI-generated character—a purported 112-year-old woman—suggesting a pattern of content creation that relies heavily on artificial intelligence. Given the lack of transparency and the overwhelming evidence pointing to AI manipulation, the video cannot be considered a legitimate representation of a real person or event.
The Verdict
The viral video featuring Mabel Rose Thompson criticizing Donald Trump is definitively false. It is an AI-generated production designed to appear as if it features a real person. The evidence presented—including the AI content label, the waxy appearance of the woman, the illegible text on the bookshelf, and the Pangram AI detection results—overwhelmingly supports this conclusion. The video does not represent a genuine historical figure or a real interview, but rather a synthetic construct created using artificial intelligence.
As such, the claim is classified as FALSE. It constitutes DISINFORMATION due to its deliberate creation and dissemination to mislead the public. While the content may not have been intended to harm specific individuals, its use of AI to fabricate a believable narrative aligns with broader trends of digital deception. The video serves as a cautionary example of how AI can be weaponized to spread misleading or false information, even when the intent is not explicitly malicious.
Counter-misinformation & disinformation investigation conducted by PolicyWire Editorial Desk (PW).
