Donald Trump’s exchange with an AI-generated version of Theodore Roosevelt quickly drew attention online, with many users reacting to the unusual and somewhat uncanny moment.
The President visited the newly constructed Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library in North Dakota on Wednesday, where he paid tribute to the legacy of the nation’s 26th president.
As part of the visit, a virtual Roosevelt created using artificial intelligence addressed Trump directly, offering a message of encouragement: “Do not lose courage, and remember that the nation comes first.”
Trump replied, “I am grateful for those words. I want to say that it is an honor to be here with you today.”
The President then asked the AI version of Roosevelt whether the construction of the Panama Canal should be considered among his “greatest achievements.”
“The canal stands as one of my proudest battles, no question. But greatness is a strange thing,” the AI-powered Roosevelt responded.
“It isn’t always the biggest or boldest job that matters most…I measure my greatest work by the lives improved, parks set aside, food and drugs made safe, the square deal given to all, not just to a few.”
The Roosevelt avatar was developed using technology from LemonSlice AI and Microsoft.
During the visit, a virtual Roosevelt, brought to life through artificial intelligence (AI), offered a piece of advice to Trump: ‘Do not lose courage, and remember that the nation comes first’
The President later asked if the fake AI-Roosevelt believed building the Panama Canal his ‘greatest achievements’
Trump has often compared himself to Teddy Roosevelt
The President stopped by the newly built Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library in North Dakota on Wednesday to honor the legacy of the 26th president
‘Still, when I stood in the mud, watching those steam shovels, knowing ships would pass through, changing the world’s map forever, I felt I’d left a mark that would last.’
Trump shot back a short response to the fake president: ‘Okay, you did. Thank you.’
The life-size avatar allows visitors to ask questions and converse with a digital version of the former president in real-time.
Participants have their questions answered by the robot using text and documents from Roosevelt’s actual lifetime.
Trump has often compared himself to Roosevelt, and notably threatened to seize the Panama Canal during the early days of his second term.
Speaking at the Roosevelt Library, Trump reaffirmed his commitment to expanding US control of the waterway, vowing he would not let China take it over.
Roosevelt himself championed the construction of the Panama Canal in the early 1900s, framing it as a symbol of American strength and global reach.
Horseback riders portraying Roosevelt’s Rough Riders ceremonially escorted Trump’s motorcade through Medora, North Dakota
Speaking at the Roosevelt Library, Trump reaffirmed his commitment to expanding US control of the waterway, vowing he would not let China take it over
Join the discussion
Which historical figure would you most like to see recreated with AI—and why?
Trump has leaned on those achievements to justify his own ambitions in the region.
Trump has also invoked Roosevelt’s assertive ‘big stick’ foreign policy to defend his broader push for territorial and strategic expansion in the western hemisphere, including remarks about seizing Greenland and renaming the Gulf of Mexico.
Roosevelt’s library will officially open to the public on July 4, as Americans prepare to celebrate the 250th anniversary of their independence.
