The Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, has surprised on social media by posting a video generated with artificial intelligence (AI) in which he appears dancing alongside the President of the United States, Donald Trump, to the rhythm of the viral song "Dame hombro", by the artists Bulin 47 and Kevin Wai. The post, shared through the official TikTok account of the Israeli leader, has accumulated millions of views and numerous reactions, becoming one of the most commented contents in recent days. The montage comes at a particularly relevant time for Netanyahu, who faces this Tuesday, October 27, legislative elections in which his party, Likud, must seek enough support to maintain power.
In the video, both leaders star in a fictional scene set in an airport. Trump appears walking with a suitcase while Netanyahu moves a few steps ahead, until the song starts playing and the Israeli Prime Minister turns to begin a choreography. The American president then sets his luggage aside and joins the dance, moving his shoulders to the rhythm of the song. The sequence is accompanied by the flags of Israel and the United States, also used by Netanyahu in the text of his post. The images do not correspond to a real meeting between the two leaders, but to a digital recreation made using artificial intelligence.
The video of Netanyahu and Trump surpasses four million views
The post was shared last Wednesday, October 21, and within a few hours it reached significant international impact. According to data collected by the Dominican newspaper Diario Libre, the video had accumulated more than 4.4 million views, 525,500 'likes' and around 450,400 shares on TikTok. The figures correspond to one of the first counts published and may have increased since then.
The montage takes advantage of one of the most popular musical trends in recent weeks, in which users from different countries reproduce a choreography based on quick shoulder movements. The use of artificial intelligence tools has allowed the incorporation of numerous personalities into this trend, through recreations in which they appear performing the dance without having actually participated in the recordings.
This is not the first time Netanyahu uses this trend to generate content on social media. On October 10, the Israeli Prime Minister had already shared another video created with AI in which he appeared executing the characteristic movements of "Dame hombro". On that occasion, he made a humorous reference to the possibility of having danced that way during the inauguration of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, in 2019, and took the opportunity to launch criticisms at his political opponents and ask for citizens' support for Likud, his political party.
The dissemination of this content is part of an electoral campaign in which social media and videos generated with artificial intelligence have gained increasing prominence. According to a report by the EFE Agency on October 12, the main Israeli parties have intensified their presence on digital platforms, using everything from humorous recordings to political ads created with new technologies to convey their messages to voters.
What is "Dame hombro", the song that has made Trump and Netanyahu dance
The song used by the Israeli Prime Minister has become a viral phenomenon that has crossed the borders of the Dominican Republic. "Dame hombro" is a song performed by Dominican artist Bulin 47 and content creator Kevin Wai, whose collaboration arose from an impromptu meeting on the streets of Madrid.
Kevin Wai, known for approaching passersby to invite them to improvise songs, coincided with Bulin 47 during one of his recordings. The performance began to circulate on social media and led to a song that ended up becoming an international trend, especially due to its rhythm and the shoulder choreography that accompanies the music.
Since then, TikTok has been filled with videos in which different users reproduce the dance, while others use artificial intelligence to create scenes featuring well-known characters. Among the figures recreated in this type of content are footballers such as Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappé, and Erling Haaland, as well as personalities from politics and entertainment.
The incorporation of Netanyahu and Trump into this trend has multiplied its impact, although in this case the video has an additional dimension: it has been disseminated by the official account of a head of government in the midst of an electoral campaign, which links an entertainment trend with political communication.
Netanyahu risks his continuity in the elections on October 27
The publication comes as Israel prepares to hold legislative elections this Tuesday, October 27, after the Knesset, the Israeli Parliament, was dissolved on July 17. The legislature has been marked by the consequences of the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023, the war in Gaza, and the internal tensions of the governing coalition, especially over the discrepancies regarding the mandatory military service of ultra-Orthodox Jews.
The elections will determine the composition of the 120 seats in the Knesset, where the support of at least 61 deputies is needed to form a parliamentary majority. Netanyahu aims to continue as prime minister with the support of Likud and his traditional allies, while different opposition parties seek to configure an alternative government.
The polls published in recent weeks reflect a scenario of political fragmentation. According to the electoral average compiled by Middle East Forum, based on seven surveys conducted between October 7 and 21, the block of parties that makes up Netanyahu's coalition would obtain around 53 seats, below the 61 needed to govern. The set of opposition formations would add another 53 deputies and the Arab candidacies would reach approximately 14, a distribution that highlights the importance of agreements after the vote. These are, in any case, demographic estimates and not electoral results.
Among the main adversaries of the current prime minister is Gadi Eisenkot, former chief of staff of the Israeli army and leader of Yashar, a party that has gained prominence in the polls. Other opposition candidacies are also running, such as the alliance promoted by Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid, which aims to capture the vote of those demanding a change in the political direction of the country.
The corruption trial of Netanyahu remains open
The Israeli Prime Minister faces elections while continuing to be immersed in his corruption trial, which began in May 2020, related to those known as cases 1000, 2000, and 4000. The accusations include alleged crimes of fraud, breach of trust, and bribery linked to the receipt of gifts from businessmen and supposed agreements aimed at obtaining favorable media coverage in exchange for political or regulatory decisions.
Netanyahu has denied committing irregularities and has rejected the accusations made against him. In June of this year, he concluded his personal statement after dozens of court sessions, although the procedure remains open and there is still no definitive ruling.
In this context, the video in which he appears dancing alongside Donald Trump represents one of the most striking initiatives of his digital campaign. The Prime Minister has resorted to humor, a viral song, and the image of the American president to gain visibility on social media, while his opponents focus the electoral debate on the management of the war, national security, the economy, and judicial investigations.
Just two days before the election, Netanyahu is trying to convey a relaxed image on digital platforms in the midst of the battle to maintain power. The dance with Trump, although completely fictitious, has thus become a new example of the role that artificial intelligence plays in political campaigns and its ability to transform a musical trend into internationally reaching content.