White House posts an altered photo of Minnesota protester's arrest to make it look like she was crying [View all]

Source: CBS News

January 22, 2026 / 5:36 PM EST / CBS News


The White House posted a photo on social media that was digitally altered to make it look like a protester was sobbing as she was arrested in connection with a protest against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement at a Minnesota church.

A photo of Nekima Levy Armstrong's arrest — showing Armstrong with a neutral expression — was first posted on X by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem Thursday morning. The image the White House posted appears the same except Armstrong's altered facial expression shows her distressed, with tears running down her face.

The White House posted the image of Armstrong seemingly crying with a caption calling her "a far-left agitator," roughly 30 minutes after Noem posted the initial image. The altered version was also reposted on X by Vice President JD Vance.


The image on the left, shared by the White House on X, was digitally altered to make it look like Nekima Levy Armstrong was crying during her arrest. The image on the right, posted roughly 30 minutes earlier by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, showed Armstrong with a neutral expression.
CBS News

The White House's post drew a flood of comments from X users, with many saying the image appeared to have been manipulated. In response to CBS News' request for comment on whether the photo was altered, the White House press office sent a link to an X post by White House spokesman Kaelan Dorr referring to the post as a "meme." "Enforcement of the law will continue. The memes will continue. Thank you for your attention to this matter," Dorr said on X.

Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/white-house-photo-minnesota-protester-arrest-altered-crying/