US EditionWhite House shares doctored image portraying arrested church protester in tears
The White House acknowledged posting an AI-edited image of activist Nekima Levy Armstrong sobbing during her arrest, with the altered photo viewed over 2.5 million times on social media.
- On Thursday, January 22, 2026, the White House's official X account published an image showing Nekima Levy Armstrong sobbing during her arrest, accompanying announcements about arrests tied to a protest at Cities Church, St. Paul, Minnesota.
- Nekima Levy Armstrong led protesters into Cities Church on Sunday chanting `ICE out` and `Justice for Renee Good`, prompting U.S. Attorney Pam Bondi to direct arrests including Armstrong and Chauntyll Louisa Allen.
- Digital-Forensics checks found markers tied to Google AI tools, while Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem posted a similar photo 30 minutes earlier and Anna Bower questioned its authenticity.
- The altered post remains online, as White House spokespersons confirmed manipulation to CNN, users of X added a community note, and prosecutors warned uncertainty about edits could affect legal credibility.
- The administration's prior use of synthetic images suggests the White House communications accounts follow an AI-heavy approach, with communications scholars like Mike Ananny warning this may erode trust in official visuals.
78 Articles
78 Articles
The distribution of images modified by the White House revives the debate on the influence of AI and visual rigging in official political communication.
The White House shared a photo on the social media platform X of a Black woman who was arrested during a protest in Minneapolis. The photo has been altered. The woman is crying and her skin has also been darkened. This becomes clear when we compare this photo to the original.
In response to criticism of this manipulation, the US presidency is taken to "those who feel the need to instinctively defend the perpetrators of heinous crimes" and has affirmed that "the memes will continue to circulate".
Nekima Levy Armstrong was arrested after an anti-ICE protest. The White House then published a photo of his arrest retouched blatantly. ...
The White House has published a digitally modified picture of a woman arrested yesterday, in a case presented by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, so this looks like dramatic crying and has her skin more closed than actually, shows a...
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