Indiana State Sen. Chris Garten just threw a haymaker at holiday cheer with some eyebrow-raising AI-generated images.
According to the New York Post, on Christmas Day, December 25, 2025, Garten, a two-term Republican, posted a controversial digital artwork on his official X account, showing himself pummeling Santa Claus on the Indiana State Capitol steps while supporters waved “Garten for Indiana” signs, sparking a firestorm of criticism for what many see as a violent jab at a beloved holiday figure.
For Hoosier parents, this isn’t just a social media stunt—it’s a potential legal distraction that could pull focus from pressing state issues, risking legislative gridlock and wasted taxpayer dollars on damage control over a preventable controversy.
The images didn’t hold back, depicting Garten in a sleeveless suit kicking and body-slamming Santa, with one even showing him flexing a comically muscular arm while riding a reindeer in a Santa outfit with sunglasses.
Another picture had Garten, dressed as Santa, pointing and laughing at a snowflake, a not-so-subtle dig at his detractors.
Garten captioned his Thursday morning post with a jab at the North Pole's “bureaucratic overreach,” framing his virtual assault as a stand against overregulation disguised as holiday spirit.
The online reaction was swift and sharp, with critics slamming the posts as shameful and a brutal twist on a cherished Christmas icon.
One X user quipped, “What on earth would compel a person to post images of them beating up a universally beloved figure?” Well, perhaps Garten thought a little shock value might wake up a sleepy holiday news cycle, though at what cost to decorum?
The Indiana Democratic Party called the stunt “pretty weird,” while broadcaster Keith Olbermann reposted the images, dubbing it a “War on Christmas, Indiana GOP style.”
Garten didn’t back down, responding hours later on December 25, 2025, claiming he crafted the AI images with his children as a lighthearted project.
“Lots of intolerance, swearing, and outrage on display over a few AI pics I had a blast designing with my kids,” Garten fired back on X. If true, one wonders if this family bonding moment was worth the public relations headache.
He doubled down, dismissing critics as “insufferable” and suggesting their negativity should stay online rather than spill into their holiday gatherings.
Look, while Garten’s imagery might be in poor taste, the hyperventilating over a few digital cartoons reeks of the overly sensitive culture conservatives have long warned about.
Christmas isn’t under siege because a politician shared a meme, and Hoosiers deserve leaders who can take a joke without demanding public apologies—though Garten might consider the optics next time he’s tempted to deck Santa’s halls.
