Fake War Footage – Propagandizing You for Clicks.
Iran – The bombs started falling in the Middle East, and within minutes the internet detonated with something just as explosive, a tidal wave of fake war footage across social media.
Scroll through Facebook, X or Instagram and you will see burning U.S. bases. Iranian missiles blasting American jets from the sky. Satellite images of destroyed radar installations. Clever Iranian tricks of a painted airplane silhouette – supposedly humiliating the Pentagon.
Much of it never happened.
Since the United States began striking Iranian targets, the online world has been flooded with fake accounts, AI-generated videos, manipulated satellite imagery, and viral propaganda posts designed to shape global opinion about the conflict. Analysts say the scale of the deception campaign marks one of the first major wars where artificial intelligence is being weaponized at industrial scale in the information space.
Millions Watching Fake War
The misinformation explosion began almost immediately after the strikes.
Researchers monitoring social media say fabricated videos of the war have accumulated tens of millions of views before fact-checkers could intervene. Some clips claimed to show Iranian missile strikes destroying American aircraft or warships.
One particularly dramatic video circulating online showed an Iranian missile destroying a U.S. aircraft in midair. The footage went viral, racking up tens of millions of views, before investigators determined it had been generated entirely using artificial intelligence.
Other viral clips were not even AI. They were lifted from military video games.
A widely shared video claiming to show a U.S. warship shooting down an Iranian fighter jet was eventually traced to gameplay footage from the combat simulation game War Thunder. The clip gained more than seven million views online before being exposed as fictional.
Experts say the tactic works because viewers often encounter these clips in emotionally charged moments, when verification is the last thing on their minds.
The Fake Account Armies
The deception is not random.
Investigators have uncovered organized networks of fake or hacked social media accounts pushing fabricated war footage to millions of users.
In one case uncovered by platform X, at least 31 coordinated accounts were allegedly operated by a man in Pakistan and used to spread AI-generated war videos related to the U.S. strikes on Iran.
Many of the accounts impersonated journalists or eyewitnesses. Some posed as residents near battle zones. Others claimed to be military observers.
By pretending to be on-the-ground witnesses, propagandists can trick audiences into believing fabricated videos are authentic breaking news.
Researchers say this kind of deception campaign is increasingly common during international conflicts, where online narratives can influence global opinion as quickly as military developments.
AI Is Now Faking Satellite Evidence
Perhaps the most alarming development is the manipulation of satellite imagery.
In several viral posts circulating online, images appeared to show U.S. military installations destroyed by Iranian strikes. The images looked convincing, complete with blast craters and damaged buildings.
Investigators later discovered some of the satellite images were AI-altered or entirely fabricated.
One widely shared image, promoted by Iranian media outlets, claimed to show a devastated U.S. radar installation in Qatar. Analysts later determined the image had been digitally manipulated using artificial intelligence.
Experts warn that satellite images are particularly powerful propaganda tools because they appear technical and authoritative.
People tend to trust them without question.
Viral Claims Iran Is Tricking U.S. Satellites
Another category of viral propaganda has taken a different approach, mockery.
Images circulating across social media show large silhouettes of drones and aircraft painted onto the ground inside Iran. The accompanying posts claim Iranian forces created fake targets to trick American satellites.
The narrative accompanying the images is clear and deliberate. According to the viral captions, U.S. intelligence supposedly identifies the fake aircraft as real targets, allowing Iran to make the United States waste millions of dollars destroying empty patches of dirt.
The posts typically end with the same message, Iran is clever, the United States is foolish.
But military historians say the narrative leaves out a key fact. This never happened…the images are Photoshop or A.I..
The deception, to the viewers, is effective because decoys, camouflage, and deception have been standard military tactics for centuries. Inflatable tanks, fake airfields, and painted aircraft silhouettes were used extensively during World War II and are taught in military academies around the world. So the accusations seem plausible…and the fake images seal the deal.
The propaganda lies not in the existence of decoys, but in the framing designed to humiliate the United States and elevate Iran’s image.
State Actors Fuel the Propaganda War
Analysts say the information battlefield is being shaped by a mix of actors.
State-backed propaganda networks have circulated exaggerated claims about Iranian military success, while foreign influence operations have amplified misleading narratives to undermine confidence in American military power. Anti-semite groups capitalize on the opportunity to take swipes at Israel. Democrat operatives live for the opportunity to make President Trump, or Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, look like a fool.
Researchers studying the phenomenon say the goal is not always to persuade people of a single lie. Instead, the objective is chaos & uncertainty.
Flood the internet with so many competing claims, fake videos, and manipulated images that ordinary people simply stop trusting anything they see.
Opinion: America Is Losing the Information Battlefield
Facts first. Now the uncomfortable truth.
The United States may dominate the skies militarily, but in the information war raging across social media, the battlefield is far murkier.
Artificial intelligence has democratized propaganda. What once required vast intelligence agencies, professional studios, and technical expertise can now be created by anyone with a laptop and the right software.
The viral posts mocking American intelligence over painted decoys illustrate the strategy perfectly. A centuries-old military tactic becomes a viral story about Iranian brilliance and American incompetence.
The objective is not accuracy. The objective is perception.
Every fake video of a burning U.S. base, every manipulated satellite image, every anonymous account posting dramatic “battle footage” pushes the same narrative, America is losing, Iran is winning, and nothing you see can be trusted.
And when truth becomes impossible to separate from fiction, propaganda has already won.
The missiles may be flying over the Middle East.
But the real war for public perception is raging on your phone screen.
Austin
Texas GOP Wants Closed Primaries. New Secretary of State Robert Howden Is Preparing to Fight Them.
Austin, TX – Texas Republicans spent years demanding control of their own primary. Now they have a new Secretary of State, Robert S. Howden, appointed by Republican Governor Greg Abbott, and the man taking over the state’s election machinery is inheriting a lawsuit in which his office is expected to defend the very open primary system the GOP wants to dismantle.
The Republican Party of Texas filed the federal lawsuit in September 2025, arguing that Texas’ open primary system violates the party’s First Amendment right of association. Under the current system, Texas voters do not register by party and may choose which party’s primary to vote in during an election cycle. The GOP wants only registered Republicans participating in Republican primaries.
The case is pending in federal court in Amarillo before U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk.
And Robert S. Howden has now inherited it.
Howden Steps Into the Fight
Gov. Abbott appointed Howden as Texas’ 116th secretary of state on July 17, effective July 18. Howden previously served as Abbott’s senior adviser and director of legislative affairs and has worked in the administrations of four Republican governors. As secretary of state, he is Texas’ chief elections officer.
Abbott has been quite clear about where he stands.
At the 2026 Republican Party convention, he said Texas would eventually make clear that “only Republicans vote in Republican primaries.” Abbott has also said lawmakers “can and should be more responsive to Republicans than a judge may be,” indicating that he expects the Legislature to address the issue during the 2027 session.
But that doesn’t mean the Secretary of State’s office is supposed to simply surrender in court.
That was the position taken by Howden’s predecessor, Jane Nelson.
Nelson argued that changing Texas’ primary system was a job for the Legislature, not a federal judge. In an October 2025 statement, she said it was her responsibility to defend existing election laws and that she would implement whatever changes the Legislature lawfully enacted.
The Attorney General’s office took the opposite position.
Attorney General Ken Paxton sided with the Texas GOP, asking the federal court to strike down portions of the Texas Election Code governing open primaries. According to reporting by The Texas Tribune, Nelson’s lawyers said Paxton’s office gave them less than an hour’s notice before taking the opposing position.
So the Republican Party sued the Republican-controlled state government. The Republican Attorney General joined the plaintiffs. And the Republican Secretary of State fought the lawsuit.
That’s not exactly the tidy party unity politicians like to advertise.
The Real Fight Is Over Who Controls the Nomination
The GOP argues that crossover voting allows Democrats and independents to influence Republican nominations, potentially helping candidates who are less conservative than the party base.
The lawsuit specifically pointed to the 2024 Republican primaries involving former House Speaker Dade Phelan and Rep. Gary VanDeaver. Both won their races by fewer than 800 votes, and the party argued that crossover voters helped determine the outcomes.
The party has already made closing primaries an official priority. Republicans adopted rules supporting closed primaries in 2024 and renewed that push at their 2026 convention.
But changing the system is not as simple as flipping a switch.
Texas has more than 18 million registered voters, and the state’s registration system was never designed around party registration. Moving to closed primaries could require new registration procedures, computer-system changes and a method for existing voters to establish party affiliation.
The GOP wants the courts to clear the way, preferably in time for 2028.
San Angelo, TX – San Angelo’s battle over massive data centers has moved from City Hall chambers to the ballot box, and two council members could soon have to defend their seats before voters angry about how the city has handled the projects. What began as a fight over water, power, development and transparency is now a full-blown political revolt, with recall efforts targeting Council Members Harry Thomas and Joe Self.
And the controversy comes at an interesting moment for Texas. Gov. Greg Abbott has ordered state regulators to conduct a comprehensive audit of data centers moving through the state’s electric grid interconnection process, saying the review must be completed before any data center project moves forward. ERCOT subsequently told Fox News Digital that Abbott’s directive “effectively pauses all data center projects” while the state reviews their demands on the grid.
That means the questions being shouted at San Angelo City Hall are no longer merely local complaints from residents opposed to a particular development. Texas officials are now asking some of the same questions.
Abbott directed the Public Utility Commission of Texas and ERCOT to examine pending data center projects and gather information, including projected annual and peak electricity demand, water consumption, water sources, and whether facilities intend to generate some of their own electricity. ERCOT reported that roughly 90 percent of the 474 gigawatts of large-load interconnection requests currently under review are associated with data centers, more than five times Texas’ record peak electricity demand.
Back in San Angelo, the San Angelo Data Center Citizen Coalition has been pushing its own accountability campaign.
A petition seeking the recall of Council Member Harry Thomas, who represents Single Member District 3, was submitted July 15 with more than the required signatures. The city clerk later certified the petition after determining 53 signatures were sufficient, clearing the way for a recall election.
Following public comment, the City Council voted 6-1 to call the recall election.
Thomas has maintained that he has no intention of resigning.
“I weigh every decision I’ve ever made on behalf of the 100,000 citizens in San Angelo,” Thomas said after the petition was submitted. “Every time I vote, I vote for all the citizens. I have no plans to resign from my position.”
Self is now facing his own recall effort.
The coalition submitted an affidavit seeking Self’s recall and subsequently collected the signatures necessary to move forward. On Aug. 6, Self issued a statement saying he supports residents’ right to seek a recall but rejected what he described as misinformation about his involvement with data centers.
“I have not signed any non-disclosure agreements,” Self said. “I have not benefited financially. I have not voted in favor of a data center.”
Self said the council has instead voted on regulations that would apply if a data center is established in San Angelo.
That distinction between approving a specific project and approving regulations governing potential projects has become one of the central arguments in the political fight. San Angelo officials have considered rules addressing land use, water and wastewater issues as the city confronts proposals for large-scale data center development.
The proposed Skybox project has become particularly contentious. City officials have described it as a potential $7.2 billion investment, while opponents have raised concerns about water consumption, electricity demand, infrastructure, noise and transparency surrounding the development process.
The political consequences are spreading beyond San Angelo.
Residents in Temple and Granbury have also launched recall or charter efforts amid disputes over data center development. In Temple, opponents have cited concerns about land, water consumption and heat generated by facilities. In Granbury, activists gathered signatures seeking recalls involving the mayor and most members of the City Council.
Election
Texas Senate Hopeful James Talarico Shared Pride Event Stage With 11-Year-Old Child Drag Performer
Federal Court Upholds State Limits on Minors at Adult Drag Shows
Taylor, TX – A federal appeals court has just upheld a Florida law restricting minors from attending certain adult live performances, including some drag shows. Within hours of that ruling, renewed attention was focused on Texas Democratic U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico after reports resurfaced showing he headlined a 2021 Pride fundraiser featuring an 11-year-old child drag performer promoted as one of the event’s main attractions.
On Tuesday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit ruled in HM Florida-ORL, LLC v. Secretary of the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, allowing Florida to enforce its law restricting minors from attending certain adult live performances. Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced the decision, calling it a victory for protecting children. The ruling does not prohibit drag performances for adults, but it recognizes that states may impose limits when minors are involved.
The timing has drawn renewed scrutiny to Talarico’s record as he campaigns for the U.S. Senate against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.
According to promotional materials first highlighted by the Washington Free Beacon, Talarico was a featured speaker during Taylor PRIDE’s June 26, 2021 fundraiser in Taylor, Texas. The event was organized to raise money for “rural LGBTQ communities” and included live music, Drag Story Hour, adult drag performers, and an 11-year-old performer using the stage name “Kween Kee Kee.”
Taylor PRIDE advertised the child as “the absolute cutest & youngest of our drag performers.” Promotional posts stated the child would perform a drag routine and host “Kee Kee Storytime,” where children would participate in Pride-themed craft activities. The event was held at Texas Beer Company.
Photographs published from the event show Talarico addressing attendees from the stage and posing with participants. Additional photographs and video posted publicly show Kween Kee Kee, a local preteen named Keegan, performing in a shimmering blue dress, platinum blonde wig, and theatrical makeup during what organizers described as a Youth Drag Show. One attendee shared video of the child performing the splits before the audience.
The fundraiser also featured several adult drag performers, including Brianna Brinxx, Belladonna Dior, Felecia Enspire, and a performer using the stage name Sedonya Face.
Following criticism from conservative activists who protested the event, Taylor PRIDE defended the festival on social media. The organization rejected claims that the event was sexually explicit or exploitative and encouraged the public to review photographs from the event and decide for themselves.
Talarico’s campaign did not respond to requests for comment from the Washington Free Beacon regarding his participation.
The resurfaced event adds to a broader record that Republicans have highlighted throughout Talarico’s political career. While serving in the Texas House, Talarico opposed legislation restricting drag performances in the presence of children and argued lawmakers should avoid harming what he described as Texas’ drag performers. He has also opposed Republican-backed legislation restricting certain transgender medical treatments for minors and has frequently spoken in support of LGBTQ causes.
More recently, however, Talarico has attempted to present himself as a more moderate statewide candidate. He has described previous remarks, including referring to God as “nonbinary,” as “cringey” and has removed some progressive messaging from campaign materials as he seeks to broaden his appeal beyond Democratic primary voters.
The renewed attention comes as cultural debates surrounding children and drag performances continue playing out both politically and legally. Florida’s appellate court victory represents one of the most significant recent rulings supporting a state’s authority to restrict minors from attending certain adult-oriented live performances, even as litigation over similar laws continues elsewhere.
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