An Indiana state senator has caused a stir online by posting AI-generated images of himself engaging in a mock fight with Santa Claus on Christmas day. Senator Chris Garten, a Republican, shared four fake photos on his official social media page showing him beating, kicking, and body slamming Santa in front of cheering fans at the Indiana State Capitol. One of the images even depicts Garten riding a reindeer in a Santa outfit and flexing his muscles.
The bizarre holiday post was captioned with a message about bureaucratic overreach and unfunded mandates disguised as ‘Christmas cheer,’ with Garten asserting that the people of Indiana run the state, not bureaucrats. The post received backlash from online critics who criticized the violent depiction of the beloved Christmas icon.
Despite the backlash, Garten defended the fake images, stating that he had designed them with his children and dismissing the criticism as ‘insufferable.’ He responded to the furor by calling out the negativity and intolerance displayed by some online commenters, referring to them as ‘snowflakes.’
The post drew further attention when the Indiana Democratic Party and broadcaster Keith Olbermann weighed in, with Olbermann reposting the images with a sarcastic comment about a ‘War on Christmas, Indiana GOP style.’
Garten, who was elected in 2018 and serves as the Senate Majority Floor Leader, expressed confusion over the controversy surrounding his post, suggesting that society has become overly sensitive. He called the fake outrage online a reflection of the current state of society and urged for some self-reflection.
Despite the controversy, Garten did not immediately respond to requests for comment from media outlets.
