RT, a state-owned Russian media outlet, attempted to promote its coverage of the U.S. elections with a job offer for President Donald Trump should he lose in November.
The organization created a video using “deepfake” technology that put the president’s face and voice onto an actor’s body, then showed him coming to work in Moscow as a “special host” just days after losing the election:
“The mainstream media has accused RT and Trump of working together to swing elections for years,” RT said in a statement explaining the video. “So they might as well do it for real.”
RT said the video was satire, but added: “Seriously though, Mr. President, if you do want a job let us know, the canteen is very reasonable.”
RT is registered as an agent of a foreign government and receives its funding from the Russian government.
While the video is being played for laughs and is an obvious fake, the U.S. intelligence community believes Russia has been attempting to interfere in the 2020 election in much more subtle ways, as it did in 2016 to aid Trump. The CIA said Russian President Vladimir Putin was likely directing the effort himself, The New York Times reported this week. FBI Director Christopher Wray also told Congress last week that Russia was engaging in “very active efforts” to “denigrate” former Vice President Joe Biden and help with Trump’s reelection effort.