Prabowo Says a Country Can Be Destroyed Through Social Media and Slander

President of the Republic of Indonesia Prabowo Subianto has emphasised that there is no need to deploy troops or bombs to destroy a country. Nowadays, he said, it only takes games on social media (social media), hoaxes, and slander.

Prabowo made this statement during a briefing at the Government Working Meeting (Raker) at the Presidential Palace Complex in Central Jakarta on Wednesday, 8 April 2026.

“How to destroy another country, in the past we sent troops, bombs, now it’s not necessary. Perhaps social media games, slander, hoaxes,” said Prabowo.

The Head of State stated that with artificial intelligence (AI) and information technology, one person can now have 1,000 social media accounts. From those 1,000 accounts, they can be multiplied further. Therefore, just 100 to 5,000 people can already stir up social media.

“One person can have 1,000 accounts. They can buy the tools. It’s not too expensive. From 1,000, this can be multiplied again, so it becomes a bit troublesome with 100 people, 200 people, 1,000 people, 5,000 people can cause a stir. This is called an echo chamber. It’s in intelligence studies,” he said.

Prabowo added that AI can be even more dangerous and can make someone appear to say things they did not say. He claimed there is AI work that makes him sing melodiously or give speeches in Mandarin and Arabic.

“This is a problem for us. Be vigilant,” he said.

Prabowo said he has no issue with criticism, slander, and abuse directed at him. Prabowo considers abuse and slander as warnings for him and the government to always remain vigilant.

“We accept those corrections. If we are slandered, abused, consider it as a warning so that we stay vigilant. ‘Prabowo is stupid’, wow, I must be vigilant if I am stupid I must gather smart people to help me. The last one, ‘Prabowo is stubborn’. If I am called stubborn, yes, I must accept that as, I must hold my head to see if it’s hard or what,” he said.