A new Fannie Mae video advertisement features what sounds like President Donald Trump delivering a message about housing access, but a disclaimer in the spot says the narration is an AI-cloned voice reading scripted text. The audio was produced with permission from the Trump administration, according to the report.
The roughly one-minute ad presents an “all-new Fannie Mae” and describes the institution as a “protector of the American Dream,” framing housing affordability as a system-level problem rather than a failure of individual effort. The campaign arrives as the administration seeks to show voters it is responding to broader cost pressures, including in the housing market.
Who created the synthetic Trump voice was not identified in the reporting. The AI audio company ElevenLabs said in an email to The Associated Press that the Trump-like narration in the Fannie Mae ad was not generated by ElevenLabs. The White House did not respond to a request for comment, according to the article.
Housing Messaging Tied To Davos And Affordability Politics
The advertisement also lines up with the administration’s plans to spotlight housing policy at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where political leaders and corporate executives gather. Trump is expected to address housing there as part of a broader effort to demonstrate action on affordability.
At Davos, the setting itself can sharpen the political contrast: a high-profile conference associated with wealth and global finance, paired with messaging aimed at Americans concerned about the cost of buying a home. Analysts quoted in related reporting have argued that proposals focused on mortgage structures and investor behavior may not fully confront underlying supply constraints in many markets.
The ad’s release also reflects a wider pattern of high-visibility AI use around public figures. The article notes that First Lady Melania Trump previously used AI voice technology from ElevenLabs for an audiobook version of her memoir, underscoring how synthetic audio is becoming increasingly common in political and commercial communications.
Fannie Mae And Freddie Mac’s Role In The Mortgage Market
The ad centers on Fannie Mae, which, along with Freddie Mac, has operated under government control since the Great Recession. The two entities buy mortgages that meet specified risk standards from banks, a process designed to support liquidity in the housing finance system.
Together, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac guarantee roughly half of the $13 trillion U.S. home loan market, making them pivotal to the flow of mortgage credit through the economy.
In the advertisement, the agency signals a goal of working with banks to approve more would-be borrowers for mortgages. Separately, Trump, Federal Housing Finance Agency director Bill Pulte, and other officials have discussed selling shares of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac on a major stock exchange, though the reporting emphasized that no concrete plan has been finalized.
Policy Ideas, Investor Limits, And An AI Irony
The administration’s housing push has included several ideas that surfaced alongside the ad. One proposal discussed by Trump and Pulte was extending the traditional 30-year mortgage to 50 years to lower monthly payments. The report said Trump appeared to back off that concept after critics argued longer terms could reduce homeowners’ ability to build equity and wealth over time.
Another concept involves the federal government buying $200 billion in mortgage bonds, which Trump said could help lower mortgage rates at a time when many Americans are anxious about home prices. The article also reported Trump’s statement that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have $200 billion in cash that would be used for that purchase.
Trump has also said he wants to block large institutional investors from buying houses, arguing that the move would make it easier for younger households to purchase their first homes.
The report highlighted a political wrinkle in the AI decision: Trump’s permission for an AI replica of his voice contrasts with his criticism of the Biden administration’s use of an autopen—a mechanical signature device. The article noted that a House Republican report did not present concrete evidence that an autopen was used to sign Joe Biden’s name without his knowledge.
