Karoline Leavitt’s resignation statement sparks discussion over ‘made with AI’ label | indy100

Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

She’s a high-profile figure within the Trump administration, as a result of her chairing countless White House press briefings, but Karoline Leavitt will depart Pennsylvania Avenue as press secretary at the end of the month.

In a post to his Truth Social platform on Wednesday, Donald Trump announced Leavitt would leave her role as White House press secretary at the end of August “so she can spend more time with her beautiful young children and family”.

Leavitt announced the birth of her daughter Viviana back in May.

Trump said: “Karoline will now be one of my top outside advisors, and an influential voice within the Republican Party, as we work to defy History, and conclusively win the Midterm Elections.

“Karoline has been a real leader in the White House, and has done a phenomenal job fighting for Justice, Liberty, and Freedom, since 2018, including our Historic Re-Election Campaign of 2024

“Karoline has been one of the best White House Press Secretaries in the History of the Office. Thank you, Karoline, for a job well done.”

In a lengthy response to the president’s post over on X/Twitter, Leavitt tweeted that serving as press secretary “has been the honor and adventure of a lifetime”.

She said: “Most of all, I am thankful to the President for entrusting me with the distinct privilege of speaking on his behalf at the White House podium. I have spoken with great pride about the many historic accomplishments of this Administration, and I have relished holding the liberal media accountable and ensuring the American people hear the truth about President Trump’s successes.

“Being a mother and welcoming a new baby while working in one of the most demanding jobs in the world has been the most rewarding yet challenging season of my life, to say the least.

“The truth is since returning to the White House after the birth of my daughter, I have felt in my heart that I cannot be the best mom my two young children deserve while devoting the constant time, energy, and attention required of the White House Press Secretary — and that is why I have ultimately made the bittersweet decision to depart the White House and embark on a new chapter in my life.”

However, the exit statement ended up raising eyebrows among social media users when it was flagged as being “made with AI”, only to disappear sometime later.

Proposed Community Notes on the tweet claim that while the image is real, it has been “altered by AI”, with edits reportedly “removing shadows on Karoline Leavitt’s eyes, and changing her face structure”.

Another reads: “The photo on the left has been digitally altered to make Trump’s face thinner – removing his right ear in the process – and Leavitt’s face more attractive.”

A comparison between the image in Leavitt’s tweet and Getty photographer Anna Moneymaker’s original photo by indy100 appears to show the top of Trump’s right ear missing from the outgoing press secretary’s version, as well as changes to lines around Leavitt’s eyes.

According to The Daily Beast, Leavitt’s “hair appeared fuller, her cheekbones higher, her chin narrower, her waist slimmed, and her chest enlarged”.

indy100 has approached the White House for comment.

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