Rebecca Cooke deepfake video — Aug 2026

In August 2026, political candidate Rebecca Cooke issued a formal cease-and-desist letter to Derrick Van Orden following the publication of an AI-generated video on his X account. The legal action demands that Van Orden cease the production and dissemination of defamatory AI content intended to misrepresent Cooke's political positions.

What happened

The incident centers on a video posted to Van Orden’s X account on August 4, 2026. The footage depicts Cooke appearing to speak on the campaign trail in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, with former President Biden seated behind her. Through the use of AI synthesis, the video attributes false statements to Cooke, claiming she seeks to exploit corruption and provide free healthcare to illegal aliens.

Cooke’s legal counsel stated that the candidate never made these remarks and does not support the policies ascribed to her in the video. The letter argues that the content was created to deceive Wisconsin voters and damage Cooke’s reputation for political gain. By utilizing an AI-generated image to place false words into the candidate's mouth, the video provided a veneer of truth to fabricated claims. Cooke publicly criticized the use of such technology, noting the irony that these deepfakes were facilitated by data centers that previously received special tax breaks supported by Van Orden. The cease-and-desist letter serves as a formal demand for the removal of the false content and an end to the dissemination of AI-generated misinformation regarding her campaign.