The Trump administration on Thursday misrepresented the arrest of a prominent civil rights attorney for her role in an anti-immigration enforcement protest that disrupted a service at a Minnesota church.
On its official X page, the White House shared an image of Nekima Levy Armstrong that showed her in tears with, her arms behind her back, standing in front of someone wearing a badge around their neck.
The problem? Levy Armstrong wasn’t actually crying. The image was manipulated to make the moment more dramatic than it actually was.
Here’s a closer look at the facts.
CLAIM: An image shows civil rights attorney Nekima Levy Armstrong crying while being arrested in Minnesota.
THE FACTS: This is false. The original image, which shows Levy Armstrong with a neutral expression, was altered to make her appear emotional.
Jordan Kushner, an attorney for Levy Armstrong, said he was present at his client’s arrest and said any videos and photos put out by the administration showing her crying were manipulated images.
“It is just so outrageous that the White House would make up stories about someone to try and discredit them,” Kushner said. “She was completely calm and composed and rational. There was no one crying. So this is just outrageous defamation.”
He added that video Levy Armstrong’s husband shot “dismantles what they claim” and that the video would be released soon.
Amid growing questions about the image, White House Deputy Communications Director Kaelan Dorr wrote on X Thursday afternoon: “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.”
Attorney General Pam Bondi announced Levy Armstrong’s arrest in an X post at 9:28 a.m. EST. Less than an hour later, at 10:21 a.m. EST, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem posted the original photo of Levy Armstrong, also on X. The White House then shared the manipulated image at 10:54 a.m. EST.
Certain details in both images are the same, indicating they are not simply photos taken at different times. For example, the badge worn by the person behind Levy Armstrong is in the same position, as are the lights shining through the curtain to the left of Levy Armstrong’s head.
Neither the White House nor Homeland Security immediately responded to requests for additional comment.
Associated Press writer Jack Brook in Minneapolis contributed to this report.
Find AP Fact Checks here: https://apnews.com/APFactCheck.
Trump’s real legacy is the proliferation of lies, obfuscation, and diabolical use of AI to alter reality. Reality is this: On one of the REAL news networks, ABC, I saw several elderly neighbors of Alex Jeffrey Pretti, the Intensive Care nurse shot by ICE, they were all in shock. All of them characterized Pretti as a wonderful neighbor who would watch and feed their pets. He was known for being a gentle neighbor who always said hello and passed the time over the fence. He was an avid outdoorsman who just wanted better for his neighbors. He wasn’t threatening ICE, as serial liar, Karoline Leavitt, said, he was shielding a woman from bursts of pepper spray! He cared about regular people first as most healthcare workers do. I know my wife was an Occupational Therapist. She and her friends are the most caring people I know. His LEGALLY CONCEALED weapon was found by an ICE agent in his waste band. He was shot 10 times, mostly in the back. Where are these honest ICE agents to set the record straight? Hiding in the shadows, afraid to lose their jobs if they cross Trump and admit to being over zealous enough to kill – that’s where! Ms. Levy Armstrong was calling out a “minister” for doubling as an ICE agent. That’s the definition of hypocrisy! He’s certainly not giving comfort to strangers, as Jesus called for… Matthew 25: 35-40.