FTA:

The fake accounts are among 56 profiles on X identified by CNN and CIR, using a mixture of digital sleuthing and reverse image search tools, as appearing to be part of a coordinated campaign backing the Trump-Vance ticket ahead of the 2024 presidential election. There's no indication that the Trump campaign is involved.

Experts say this could be just the tip of the iceberg. An analysis of the 56 pro-Trump accounts reveals a systematic pattern of inauthentic behavior. All of the accounts use photographs of beautiful, young women-- many of them stolen, while others appear to be AI generated--who declare their support for Trump and use hashtags such as #MAGAPatriots, #MAGA2024 and #IFBAP (I Follow Back All Patriots). In many cases, CNN and CIR found the images had been manipulated to add Trump and MAGA slogans to otherwise unbranded clothing, all with captions that call to get out the vote.

The accounts also post similar messages, which often include English language errors (a potential sign of foreign interference, according to experts), and sometimes repost each other. Most have been created in the last few months and have seen their follower count grow rapidly; all give their location as being in the United States. Fifteen of the fake accounts have blue check marks--supposed to indicate that they have been verified--and eight of those have been identified as using stolen images.