When the apple doesn’t just fall near the tree but bounces right back up and sticks itself to the trunk, you get Eric Trump.
The second-eldest Trump son released his book “Under Siege” on Oct. 14 and is now on a promotional tour that’s turned into more spectacle than strategy. What started as routine book marketing has quickly become a case study in how not to look too eager for attention.
On Oct. 22, the businessman posted an AI-generated video to X showing a massive, cheering crowd inside what looked like the White House’s East Room—except it wasn’t real. The clip, filmed inside a replica at the Richard Nixon Library, featured a digitally manufactured audience holding his new book and clapping with enthusiasm.
Eric captioned the post with a claim that the book was flying off the shelves.
“Under Siege” is BACK in stock at Amazon! The demand has been incredible – we are reprinting as fast as we can but inventory is limited so get yours today.
Amazon: https://t.co/Y5goYsw6bT pic.twitter.com/51NgkR5Kk6
— Eric Trump (@EricTrump) October 22, 2025
The AI stunt — complete with fake fans — sparked an avalanche of reactions. Critics saw it as more than bad marketing; they called it a reflection of a Trump family trait: the need for validation through the illusion of adoration.
“Looks like terrible AI. I do support you just being real. doesn’t look good for PR,” one person wrote.
“You would be nothing without your dad,” another posted, summing up the online sentiment that Eric’s entire identity, from his business deals to his book’s sales, exists only in his father’s shadow.
A third chimed in, “This family’s whole brand is a grift. Eric with the crypto scams, the copy-paste merch drops, and now ‘Under Siege’—an AI-generated cash grab dressed up as literature. They’re not selling ideas; they’re selling illusions.”
Someone else joked, “Rumor is there’s an autographed ear bandage inside certain copies.”
Those ear bandages will be in glass display cases and discussed on Antiques Road Show someday. I gotta get one!
— Floyd Cox (@XocNod) October 23, 2025
A fifth commenter added bluntly, “Country is doomed if this is the top seller on Amazon.”
Still, the AI flap isn’t the only reason Eric has been trending.
In “Under Siege,” he opens up about deeply personal moments — including how his mother, Ivana Trump, skipped his high school graduation. Instead of celebrating her son’s milestone, she reportedly jetted off to Europe for the Monte Carlo Grand Prix. The story paints a rare, vulnerable side of Eric, showing a son who’s had to make peace with the absence of parental validation — something critics say might explain his ongoing chase for public approval.
Just weeks before the book dropped, Eric found himself in another viral moment — this one involving a sumo wrestler. While visiting Tokyo over Labor Day weekend, he challenged a Yokozuna, the highest-ranking champion in the discipline.
He posted the moment on Instagram, writing, “Not every day you get invited to sumo the legend, Yokozuna! Almost had him! A great honor!” Wearing a sky blue polo and denim shorts, the 6-foot-5 Trump briefly held his own before the champion easily lifted him out of the ring.
It was classic Eric: equal parts spectacle and self-promotion.
Beyond his viral antics, Eric has been busy behind the scenes expanding the family’s real estate footprint. Reports suggest he’s been involved in acquiring new land for the Trump Organization — a move that keeps the family name cemented in luxury property while signaling his ongoing role in his father’s business empire.
The “Under Siege” rollout, with its fake crowds and exaggerated claims, ended up highlighting exactly what it tried to hide. The AI-generated applause, the stunt-filled headlines, the eagerness to prove worth — it all underscored a deeper story about legacy and longing.
In the end, the artificial crowd didn’t just promote Eric Trump’s book, it symbolized it. Manufactured adoration, mass-produced validation, and a son still reaching for his father’s brand of greatness, even if it takes a digital army to cheer him on.
Great Job Nicole Duncan-Smith & the Team @ Atlanta Black Star Source link for sharing this story.
