White House joins Studio Ghibli AI trend with a 'warning photo'

Studio Ghibli’s influence has spread across social media after users discovered they could generate AI images mimicking the studio’s iconic animation style using ChatGPT’s built-in image generator. The trend has gained widespread attention, with celebrities, artists, and casual internet users joining in. Now, the White House has unexpectedly participated in the trend by posting a Ghibli-style meme of Virginia Basora-Gonzalez, a convicted drug dealer detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The post, shared on X (formerly known as Twitter), comes as a 'warning' to drug peddlers. It is reply to an earlier White House update on the arrest. The original White House post stated, "Virginia Basora-Gonzalez, a previously deported alien felon convicted of fentanyl trafficking, was arrested by @ICEgov in Philadelphia after illegally reentering the U.S. She wept when taken into custody (picture attached)."

The Ghibli-style meme was shared without a caption, leaving social media users surprised and sparking discussions about the White House’s use of AI-generated content in official communications.

Virginia Basora-Gonzalez is a 36-year-old citizen of the Dominican Republic who has been involved in legal issues in the United States related to drug trafficking and illegal reentry. She first came to the attention of U.S. law enforcement in June 2019 when the Drug Enforcement Administration charged her with attempted possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
After pleading guilty, she was sentenced in March 2020 to 12 months and one day in prison, followed by four years of supervised release. On October 6, 2020, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deported her to the Dominican Republic.
Basora-Gonzalez illegally re-entered the US recently and was eventually arrested on March 12, 2025, in Philadelphia during a joint operation involving ICE, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. At the time of her arrest, she was working as a cook at La Tierra Del Caribe Restaurant in North Philadelphia.
ICE confirmed her identity using the FBI fingerprint database and issued a notice of intent to reinstate her prior removal order. She now faces federal charges for reentry after deportation and remains in custody pending proceedings in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Her arrest garnered attention due to her prior conviction and emotional reaction.