The White House posted an edited photo that made civil rights attorney Nekima Levy Armstrong appear to be crying during her arrest at a Minnesota protest. The original unedited photo shows a neutral expression, and Levy Armstrong's attorney says images and videos circulated by the administration were doctored. A timeline of X posts by the attorney general, Homeland Security, and the White House, plus matching visual details, indicate the altered image came from the original photo.
Fact Check: White House Shared Altered Photo That Made Nekima Levy Armstrong Appear to Cry
Nekima Levy Armstrong speaks at an anti-ICE rally for Martin Luther King Jr., Monday, Jan. 19, 2026, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
The White House posted a digitally altered photo that made civil rights attorney Nekima Levy Armstrong look as if she were crying during her arrest at an anti-immigration enforcement protest in a Minnesota church. Multiple indicators show the image shared by the White House was edited; the original photo shows Levy Armstrong with a neutral expression.
What Happened
On X (formerly Twitter), the White House shared a picture of Levy Armstrong that depicted her with tears and her arms behind her back, standing in front of someone wearing a badge on a lanyard. That version of the image differs from the unedited photo, which shows her face as neutral.
Evidence and Timeline
Key posts on X establish a timeline: Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the arrest at 9:28 a.m. EST. At 10:21 a.m. EST, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem posted the original photo. The White House posted the altered image at 10:54 a.m. EST. Visual elements in both images—such as the badge position on the person behind Levy Armstrong and lights visible through a curtain to the left of her head—match, indicating the altered image was derived from the original.
“It is just so outrageous that the White House would make up stories about someone to try and discredit them,” said Jordan Kushner, an attorney for Levy Armstrong, who said he witnessed the arrest. “She was completely calm and composed and rational. There was no one crying. So this is just outrageous defamation.”
Kushner also said a video taken by Levy Armstrong’s husband undermines the White House’s depiction and that the footage would be released soon.
Responses
White House Deputy Communications Director Kaelan Dorr posted on X defending law enforcement action and noting that social media commentary would continue. Neither the White House nor the Department of Homeland Security immediately responded to additional requests for comment. The Associated Press verified the discrepancy and contributed reporting on the case.
Bottom line: The claim that a photo shows Nekima Levy Armstrong crying during her arrest is false—the image circulated by the White House was altered to exaggerate emotion, while the original photo shows a neutral expression.
For the original AP fact-check and related materials, see: https://apnews.com/APFactCheck
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