It took an assassination attempt on her husband for Melania Trump to throw off her jacket and express her inner feelings: “I really don’t care, what about you?”
The day after the explosive rally in Pennsylvania, the former first lady released a rare public statement: just two of the 12 paragraphs mentioned her husband, while the rest were calls to reunite America and a reminder that “politics is a simple concept compared to who we are as people.”
Writing this statement must have been a daunting task, especially for a non-native English speaker. No one expected the Slovenian-born former model to suddenly transform into Joan Didion. Still, her delivery is awkward, and it raises a few questions, like why Trump uses the word “human” so repeatedly. Who would do that?
A machine would do that. In fact, The Daily Beast began to wonder if Trump enlisted the help of ChatGPT 4.0 to craft the manifesto. Why not? Many humans do. And even if Trump did, who would know her secrets?
ChatGPT is pretty chatty, though. So I downloaded the full text of Trump’s remarks (see below) into ChatGPT 4.0 and asked the program to rate the likelihood that the words were generated by an AI. Here’s ChatGPT’s response: [with our adds in bold]:
“There are several elements in this letter that suggest it was written by a large-scale language model like ChatGPT or similar software. Possible clues include:
Repetitive and redundant phrases: Phrases such as “I am thinking of you, the American people” are repeated, which may be characteristic of a language model that overuses certain phrases for emphasis or structure.
Lack of Specificity: The letter is written in a general tone without many specific details or personal anecdotes. Human writer You can also include content to make your message more personal and impactful.
Overly formal and sophisticated language: The language overall is very formal and sophisticated, which is characteristic of texts generated by language models that tend to be biased towards more formal writing styles.
Emotional yet vague feelings: Although the letter uses many emotive words and feelings such as “love,” “compassion,” and “empathy,” they are generally used and lack the nuance and complexity often found in typical letters. Human writing.
Mixed metaphors and clichés: The letter uses several mixed metaphors and clichés, such as “The fabric of our serene nation is in tatters” and “Dawn has come again.” This could be a sign of a linguistic model that creates a text from a variety of sources, sometimes resulting in a mishmash of familiar phrases.
Emphasis on unity and love: Emphasis on unity and love is a common theme in political speeches, but the way it is expressed here can be very broad and idealistic, characteristic of a linguistic model that seeks to cover all bases in a positive way.
None of these clues on their own conclusively proves that the text was written by a language model, but taken together they may suggest that this is the case.
The ambiguity seemed odd, especially when the former First Lady was praising “Donald’s passion,” especially his “love of music.” Was Melania Trump confusing Donald with former President Barack Obama? While the only songs she associates with her husband are “YMCA” and “God Bless the USA,” Obama releases eclectic end-of-year playlists of his favorite songs and often includes summer playlists as well.
Trump may have been copying Michelle Obama’s speech, much like he borrowed from his predecessor’s speech at the 2016 Republican National Convention.
It may be unfair to imply that AI played a role. Trump may not know how to use ChatGPT at all. In that case, she would need the help of someone with modern tech skills who knows how to get ChatGPT to write her essays, like a high school senior who recently applied to college. I wish she had someone like that in her life.
Yet whoever crafted the message — a large-scale language model, a communications team, or even Trump himself — the result is a statement full of personal insight, with the tone of a long-winded pastor at the funeral of someone he’s never met.
Statement from Melania Trump:
I am thinking of you, my fellow Americans, right now.
We have always been a unique union. The foundations of our gentle nation, America, lie in tatters, but our courage and good sense must rise to pull us together again.
When I watched those vicious bullets strike my husband, Donald, I realized that Barron and I were on the brink of devastating change. I am grateful to the brave Secret Service and law enforcement officers who risked their lives to protect my husband.
My heartfelt condolences go out to the families of the innocent victims who are currently suffering as a result of this heinous act. It saddens me that you have to muster up such mental strength for such a horrific reason.
I recognized my husband as a monster. “An impersonal political machine has sought to drown out Donald’s passions – his laughter, his ingenuity, his love of music and his inspiration. The core human aspects of my husband’s life have been buried beneath it. Donald was a generous, compassionate man who I shared my best and worst times with.
Let us remember that differences, policies, and political maneuvering are less than love. Our personal, organizational, and life commitments are in grave danger until the day we die. Political concepts are simple compared to who we are as people.
We are human beings, and fundamentally, instinctively, we want to help one another. American politics is the only vehicle through which we can lift up our communities. Love, compassion, kindness, and empathy are essential.
And when it’s time to look beyond left and right, red and blue, let’s remember that we all come from a family with a passion to fight together for a better life while we are here on this earthly realm.
Dawn has come again. Let us meet again. Now.
This morning, let us rise above the simplistic thinking that breeds hatred, malice and violence. We all want a world where respect is above all else, where family comes first, and where love transcends all. We can make this world a reality again. Each of us must demand it back. We must once again insist that respect be the cornerstone of our relationships.
My thoughts are with you, the American people.
The winds of change are blowing. Thank you to those who shouted in support. I commend those who reached out across the political aisle. I thank you for remembering that politicians are men and women with families to love.
