The Pro-Iran Meme Machine Trolling Trump With AI Lego Cartoons | WIRED

Save StorySave this storySave StorySave this storyMinutes after President Donald Trump announced that he would not wipe out “a whole civilization” on Tuesday evening, a team of self-described young Iranian activists jumped into action.Members of the group known as Explosive Media were putting the finishing touches on their latest AI-generated, Lego-inspired Trump video. The video features a Trump mini-figure colluding with leaders from Gulf states, Iranian officials pressing a big red button labeled “back to the stone age,” and Trump throwing a chair at US generals.This was the latest of more than a dozen videos the pro-Iran group has released since the beginning of the war in February, many of which have racked up millions of views on mainstream platforms. While Iranian government accounts have posted Lego-style videos in the past, Explosive Media’s content is more sophisticated and scripted. And it's produced by a team of young pro-Iranian creators who appear deeply knowledgeable about the internet and American culture. Already some critics have alleged the group has ties to the Iranian government.“We were almost certain Trump would back down; it was clear to us,” a member of the Explosive Media team, who did not want to publicly identify themselves, tells WIRED. “We were prepared for this scenario and had content ready in advance. We just made a few adjustments and released it.”The team even added mention of the 10-point plan Iran proposed as part of its recent ceasefir...