White House uses AI to alter image of arrested anti-ICE protestor

Attorney General Pam Bondi announced Thursday that several organizers of a recent anti-ICE protest at a Minnesota church had been arrested. Shortly after, the account The White House

The post quickly received a fact check from Community Notes on X, which stated: “Digitally altered image. See original arrest photo here.” The community note also included a link to the New York Postwhich shows the real version of the image, in which Armstrong is clearly not crying.

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The White House’s

Meanwhile, FBI Director Kash Patel’s X account posted images of Armstrong and other arrested activists; However, none of them seem to be crying. Crooked Media reporter Matt Berg posted on

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Memeification of serious current events is commonplace on the Trump administration’s social media accounts. As Mashable previously reported, the Trump administration is using X and social media to dehumanize and insult its perceived enemies, often using 4chan-style memes and artificial intelligence in the process.

Bondi also published articles on the arrests on Job reported that protesters were charged with “conspiracy against rights,” a federal charge aimed at preventing someone from exercising their constitutional rights. Right-wing commentators also claimed that protesters violated the FACE Act. Ironically, the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entries Act (FACE) is a law signed by President Bill Clinton to prevent protesters from blocking entrances to abortion clinics, but it also protects protesters from blocking entrances to places of worship.

The First Amendment gives Americans the right to peaceful protest; however, it does not give protesters the right to enter a church without permission and disrupt a religious service. In fact, this type of behavior violates other people’s First Amendment rights to freely practice their free religion.

Videos of the anti-ICE protest at Cities Church in St. Paul quickly went viral, with many viewers torn between supporting the protesters and attacking them for going too far. Now, videos and photos of protesters’ arrests are also going viral.

As more and more Americans get their news from social media, the Trump administration has become adept at turning news into reality TV-style entertainment, with Trump as the star.