The White House posted a digitally altered image of a woman who was arrested on Thursday in a case touted by attorney general [Pam Bondi](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/pam-bondi), to make it seem as if she was dramatically crying, a Guardian analysis of the image has found.
The woman, Nekima Levy Armstrong, also appears to have darker skin in the altered image. Armstrong was [one of three people arrested](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/22/two-arrests-minnesota-church-protest) on Thursday in connection to a demonstration that disrupted church services in St Paul, Minnesota, on Sunday. Demonstrators alleged that one of the pastors, David Easterwood, was the acting field director of the St Paul ICE office. Bondi announced the arrests on social media Thursday morning.
Homeland security secretary [Kristi Noem](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/kristi-noem) posted an image of Armstrong’s arrest at 10.21am on Thursday, less than an hour after Bondi’s announcement. The image shows a law enforcement agent, face blurred out, escorting Armstrong, who appears to be handcuffed. Armstrong, dressed in all black, appears to be composed in the picture.
A little more than 30 minutes later, the White House posted an image of Armstrong’s arrest in which she is crying. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt reposted the image. The image posted by the White House is altered, a Guardian analysis found.
Doesn’t this type of crap hurt their case? But hey let’s badger Jack Smith over being appointed to investigate
ImaginaryCloudberry on
They like intimidating, belittling, and lying about people of color. It’s all they’ve ever done. A black woman standing against them, unemotional and rational is one of their biggest fears.
StormScholar on
Of course they’d pick an image that makes her look weak and emotional instead of composed. It’s media manipulation. This will probably backfire and just draw more attention to the story.
Swineservant on
Nothing but LIES, LIES, LIES, LIES, LIES, LIES, LIES, LIES, LIES, LIES, LIES, LIES, LIES, LIES, LIES, LIES, LIES, LIES, LIES, LIES, LIES, LIES, LIES, LIES, and more LIES out of this administration…
Am_Deer on
Nazi propaganda.
Belgarablue on
White House (Orange Shitgibbon) lies for the 11,097,574,437’th time?
phoenix25 on
It’s striking that they enjoy making people suffer enough that they have to edit the pictures to get more satisfaction… all to appeal to an audience that equally enjoys seeing the suffering.
It’s one thing to support the actions of ICE and the drive to expel illegal immigrants because you feel it’s a “necessary evil”… an unsavoury action that the government has to take for the economic good of the country.
But anyone thinking that way should see this action and recalibrate just what they are actually supporting.
Free_Anxiety7370 on
Ew what the fuck
boris_squanch on
White House communications director responsible for all the cringe slop and propaganda they post is Steven Cheung, a 43 yo bald obese Asian man
socokid on
The fact that this is what the United States of America does now in 2026 is so embarrassing. We deserve our allies calling us the enemy now.
We are a nation being led by 2 year olds, and it’s literally killing us.
ThunderTutor on
This is beyond spin. If they can change your face to fit their narrative, truth is officially irrelevant.
EmmelinePankhurst77 on
This is sickening!
middlechildanonymous on
This administration has got to go. This is all so insane!
Swimming_Major_9440 on
Oh look. More lies for the white house. Remember: “don’t believe your eyes and ears”
NoCoffee6754 on
Internet trolls – that’s who runs our government now. Children with the power to nuke the world.
purdue_fan on
Propaganda outlet releases propaganda. News at 11
antihostile on
Once again proving that the cruelty is the whole fucking point. Things like this are done by sociopaths.
golubhai00007 on
Question: Was the image altered?
Answer: YET AGAIN to the people who feel the need to reflexively defend perpetrators of heinous crimes in our country I share with you this message: Enforcement of the law will continue. The memes will continue. Thank you for your attention to this matter,” he said
Holy shit.. what kind of gaslighting is this?
Teigh99 on
LMAO….. They obviously don’t know any black women.
MinimumApricot365 on
They are so fucking childish.
KayfabeAdjace on
But like… why? I’m not a chud so my first gut instinct is that first image reads as sympathetic. You know, because I don’t associate tears with my own victories.
Kelp72plus on
And they whine about editing?
Henson_Disney48 on
Correct me if I’m wrong but isn’t that slander? Can’t she sue because of the fact that a government institution is doing this?
LegDayDE on
The word is FAKE. “White House Posts FAKE arrest photo”
Swimming_Cover_9686 on
The DOJ was just caught manipulating pics of people they detain. War is Peace (council) US Freedom is (becoming) Slavery 2+2 is in a bank account in Qatar.
DroopyTers on
At first I was like, why would the White House alter it to make it appear she is crying? Doesn’t that make her more sympathetic? For 2 seconds I forgot that “the cruelty is the point” with Republicans. So gross.
moths_ate_my_paja on
Twitter should be taken out back and put down. Why our government has devolved into shitposting and memes when presidents used to spend hours preparing to address the nation over television and had to be mindful of attire/word choice because they represented our country will never make sense to me. We used to be able to at least pretend our president was a good man. Now, we have unashamed pedophiles running everything 🙁
sentient-sloth on
She held her head high when being arrested but that didn’t fit the narrative they wanted.
Not the first time this administration has acted fraudulently.
RobutNotRobot on
Your government is a farce. They deserve to be overthrown and then imprisoned for decades.
Nthepeanutgallery on
Quick periodic reminder that Donald Trump was a very close confidant of Jeffrey Epstein and has a documented history of forcing his way into the dressing rooms of children and was convicted of sexual assault
40 Comments
*From The Guardian:*
The White House posted a digitally altered image of a woman who was arrested on Thursday in a case touted by attorney general [Pam Bondi](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/pam-bondi), to make it seem as if she was dramatically crying, a Guardian analysis of the image has found.
The woman, Nekima Levy Armstrong, also appears to have darker skin in the altered image. Armstrong was [one of three people arrested](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/22/two-arrests-minnesota-church-protest) on Thursday in connection to a demonstration that disrupted church services in St Paul, Minnesota, on Sunday. Demonstrators alleged that one of the pastors, David Easterwood, was the acting field director of the St Paul ICE office. Bondi announced the arrests on social media Thursday morning.
Homeland security secretary [Kristi Noem](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/kristi-noem) posted an image of Armstrong’s arrest at 10.21am on Thursday, less than an hour after Bondi’s announcement. The image shows a law enforcement agent, face blurred out, escorting Armstrong, who appears to be handcuffed. Armstrong, dressed in all black, appears to be composed in the picture.
A little more than 30 minutes later, the White House posted an image of Armstrong’s arrest in which she is crying. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt reposted the image. The image posted by the White House is altered, a Guardian analysis found.
[*You can read the full story for free at this link.*](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/22/white-house-ice-protest-arrest-altered-image?referring_host=Reddit&utm_campaign=guardianacct)
This White House is juvenile and pathetic.
So like is MAGA still saying they arnt racist… Or are they past that now and just coming out of the racist closet?
Its pathetic to alter someone so they cry… its deeply fked up to also alter their skin color so they appear darker.
Not shocking. Everything about this administration is lies and corruption. We deserve better!
DJT team is the White Nationalist gang, that cannot tolerate the fact that non-white individuals are quite composed and attractive.
In the unlikely event that this ever goes to trial… the White House just gave the defense attorney ammunition to use against them.
Imagine the *government* altering your picture to make you look like you’re crying after they arrest you for protesting against them?
This is like something your bully would’ve done in 2nd grade.
Cannot wait for this picture to bite Pam Bondi in the ass when it goes to court.
This feels like it should be illegal?
yeah. We saw Trump on tv the other day, holding up 100 other altered images while his goons abducted 5 year olds
[https://www.reddit.com/r/Minneapolis/comments/1qj4se3/state_mn_date_012026_child_abducted_by_ice_near/#lightbox](https://www.reddit.com/r/Minneapolis/comments/1qj4se3/state_mn_date_012026_child_abducted_by_ice_near/#lightbox)
Doesn’t this type of crap hurt their case? But hey let’s badger Jack Smith over being appointed to investigate
They like intimidating, belittling, and lying about people of color. It’s all they’ve ever done. A black woman standing against them, unemotional and rational is one of their biggest fears.
Of course they’d pick an image that makes her look weak and emotional instead of composed. It’s media manipulation. This will probably backfire and just draw more attention to the story.
Nothing but LIES, LIES, LIES, LIES, LIES, LIES, LIES, LIES, LIES, LIES, LIES, LIES, LIES, LIES, LIES, LIES, LIES, LIES, LIES, LIES, LIES, LIES, LIES, LIES, and more LIES out of this administration…
Nazi propaganda.
White House (Orange Shitgibbon) lies for the 11,097,574,437’th time?
It’s striking that they enjoy making people suffer enough that they have to edit the pictures to get more satisfaction… all to appeal to an audience that equally enjoys seeing the suffering.
It’s one thing to support the actions of ICE and the drive to expel illegal immigrants because you feel it’s a “necessary evil”… an unsavoury action that the government has to take for the economic good of the country.
But anyone thinking that way should see this action and recalibrate just what they are actually supporting.
Ew what the fuck
White House communications director responsible for all the cringe slop and propaganda they post is Steven Cheung, a 43 yo bald obese Asian man
The fact that this is what the United States of America does now in 2026 is so embarrassing. We deserve our allies calling us the enemy now.
We are a nation being led by 2 year olds, and it’s literally killing us.
This is beyond spin. If they can change your face to fit their narrative, truth is officially irrelevant.
This is sickening!
This administration has got to go. This is all so insane!
Oh look. More lies for the white house. Remember: “don’t believe your eyes and ears”
Internet trolls – that’s who runs our government now. Children with the power to nuke the world.
Propaganda outlet releases propaganda. News at 11
Once again proving that the cruelty is the whole fucking point. Things like this are done by sociopaths.
Question: Was the image altered?
Answer: YET AGAIN to the people who feel the need to reflexively defend perpetrators of heinous crimes in our country I share with you this message: Enforcement of the law will continue. The memes will continue. Thank you for your attention to this matter,” he said
Holy shit.. what kind of gaslighting is this?
LMAO….. They obviously don’t know any black women.
They are so fucking childish.
But like… why? I’m not a chud so my first gut instinct is that first image reads as sympathetic. You know, because I don’t associate tears with my own victories.
And they whine about editing?
Correct me if I’m wrong but isn’t that slander? Can’t she sue because of the fact that a government institution is doing this?
The word is FAKE. “White House Posts FAKE arrest photo”
The DOJ was just caught manipulating pics of people they detain. War is Peace (council) US Freedom is (becoming) Slavery 2+2 is in a bank account in Qatar.
At first I was like, why would the White House alter it to make it appear she is crying? Doesn’t that make her more sympathetic? For 2 seconds I forgot that “the cruelty is the point” with Republicans. So gross.
Twitter should be taken out back and put down. Why our government has devolved into shitposting and memes when presidents used to spend hours preparing to address the nation over television and had to be mindful of attire/word choice because they represented our country will never make sense to me. We used to be able to at least pretend our president was a good man. Now, we have unashamed pedophiles running everything 🙁
She held her head high when being arrested but that didn’t fit the narrative they wanted.
Not the first time this administration has acted fraudulently.
Your government is a farce. They deserve to be overthrown and then imprisoned for decades.
Quick periodic reminder that Donald Trump was a very close confidant of Jeffrey Epstein and has a documented history of forcing his way into the dressing rooms of children and was convicted of sexual assault