A covert online operation using artificial intelligence has been quietly amplifying support for figures in Donald Trump’s administration, according to independent researchers. But the messaging machine appears to be faltering, particularly over the handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files.
The network, exposed by analytics firm Alethea and Clemson University’s Media Forensics Hub for NBC News, consists of more than 400 bot accounts on X. The accounts systematically flood the platform with positive replies to prominent conservatives, particularly Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. The real number of such accounts, researchers believe, could be significantly higher.
“These accounts aren’t designed to spark engagement or go viral,” said Darren Linvill, director of the Media Forensics Hub. “They exist to be seen in passing — to create an artificial sense of consensus in the replies.”
Despite having few followers and limited reach per post, the bots are tailored to influence perception within conservative spaces. They consistently promote MAGA-aligned figures and narratives, often inserting irrelevant hashtags and repeatedly replying to verified users with formulaic praise or commentary. In some cases, they simply echo a user’s post back verbatim, a hallmark of low-level automation.
The accounts were all created in clusters on three specific days in 2024, indicating a coordinated effort. Nearly all their activity consists of replies rather than original posts, suggesting a strategic attempt to embed themselves within conversations rather than start new ones. The specific language patterns and posting cadence suggest heavy reliance on publicly available AI chatbot technology, although the precise tools used remain unknown.
Yet cracks began to appear in early July when Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that no further Epstein-related files would be released. The bots, which had until then maintained a largely unified tone, began to splinter. Some urged caution and defended Bondi’s decision. Others, within minutes, condemned the administration and demanded resignations.
On a single Saturday morning, one bot told a MAGA supporter not to “judge Bondi too harshly,” while just seconds later another wrote that Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel “should resign over the cover-up.” Still another claimed: “She comes out clean as the DOJ confirms no Epstein client list found,” only to later post: “Retweet if you believe that Trump & his cronies are lying to the public… We won’t be fooled by their games.”
“This inconsistency reflects a lack of central narrative control, a vulnerability in AI-generated messaging,” said C. Shawn Eib, head of investigations at Alethea. “It mirrors the split we’re seeing among real-life Trump supporters right now.”
The Epstein case remains one of the most charged issues among MAGA voters, many of whom believed Trump would expose a supposed list of Epstein’s powerful clients. The administration’s decision not to pursue further disclosure has triggered outrage in parts of the base, and, apparently, within the AI-driven infrastructure designed to echo their sentiments.
“There’s no clear way to estimate how deep this problem runs,” Linvill said. “But it’s safe to assume what we’re seeing is just the tip of the iceberg.”
The White House declined to comment. Requests for statements from the Department of Health and Human Services and from X went unanswered.
