Social media users eat up AI-doctored image of muscular Mike Rogers - The Detroit News

In June 2026, a digitally manipulated image of former U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers circulating on social media captured significant public attention, depicting the politician with an exaggerated, muscular physique. The doctored image, which originated from an altered Detroit News photograph, triggered a viral trend of further AI-generated depictions and widespread political commentary across various social media platforms.

What happened

The incident began when an AI-doctored version of an original Detroit News photo from a 2024 Fourth of July parade in Milford began circulating online. The manipulated image, which portrayed Rogers with a significantly more muscular build, was amplified by Ron Filipkowski, editor-in-chief of Meidas Touch, who shared a side-by-side comparison with the original.

This sparked a wave of additional AI-generated content, including images depicting Rogers as obese, the Hulk, or a curvy woman. Political figures and observers engaged with the content, turning it into a focal point for campaign-related banter. Abdul El-Sayed, a Democratic Senate candidate, joked about the image, prompting a retort from the Rogers War Room campaign account. Other participants included the Lincoln Project, which depicted Rogers as the Hulk, and former congressman Justin Amash, who compared the figure to the fictional character Homelander.

The viral nature of the image also facilitated the creation of a burner account on X under the handle @BuffMikeRogers. While some users treated the images as a source of humor or political satire, others used the trend to critique the candidate on unrelated issues, such as his past residency in Florida. Nick Lindquist of the Civitas Institute utilized the trend to post his own exaggerated image as a form of social commentary, highlighting the ongoing discourse regarding the use of AI to distort public imagery.