White House Says 'Memes Will Continue' After Allegedly Altering Woman's Arrest Photo
The White House is under scrutiny after posting an apparently altered image of Nekima Levy Armstrong’s arrest during an ICE-related protest in St. Paul, Minnesota. The modification allegedly made Armstrong appear more distressed than in the original photo. Armstrong, reportedly involved in organizing the protest at Cities Church on January 18, faces potential federal charges under 18 USC 241 for conspiring to interfere with constitutionally protected rights. The White House’s post labeled her a “far-left agitator” and quoted Attorney General Pamela Bondi’s condemnation of attacks on places of worship. Community Notes on X flagged the image as potentially misleading, with fact-checkers questioning its authenticity. Deputy Communications Director Kaelan Dorr retweeted the image, defending its messaging and suggesting continued tough law enforcement. The controversy arises as President Trump’s administration has advocated for stricter regulation of AI-manipulated media, with Trump previously signing a bipartisan law targeting deepfakes and deceptive imagery in political discourse. Court records do not yet confirm whether formal charges have been filed against Armstrong. The White House has not responded to requests for comment.
