Quick summary: Social posts claimed Australian PM Anthony Albanese reused a year-old selfie with US President Donald Trump, citing a tie-colour discrepancy and an inaccurate Community Note on X. An Instagram video by Trump aide Margo Martin shows the leaders taking the selfie on 23 September 2026 and confirms Mr Trump switched from a red tie during his UN speech to a blue tie later that day. Press photos of meetings with South Korea and Venezuela corroborate the timeline, and the US embassy in Canberra later reshared Albanese’s selfie.
Video Confirms Albanese’s UN Selfie With Trump — Tie Color Claims Proven False
Screenshot of the false post captured on September 24, 2026, with red X added by AFP
After Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese posted a selfie with US President Donald Trump taken on the sidelines of the 2026 United Nations General Assembly, some social media users accused him of recycling an old photo. Critics pointed to a difference in tie colour between footage of Mr Trump’s earlier speech and the selfie, and an erroneous suggested Community Note on X amplified the confusion by claiming the image was taken “12 months ago.”
Screenshot of the erroneous Community Note below Albanese's X post, captured on September 24, 2026
What Was Claimed
Posts on X and in Facebook groups alleged that the selfie was from 2025 and that Mr Trump had worn a red tie during his UN remarks, while appearing in a blue tie in the selfie. One widely shared comment called Albanese a liar and suggested he had posted a year-old image to pretend the meeting occurred at the 2026 Assembly.
Screenshot of the White House staffer's Instagram video taken on September 24, 2026
Evidence That Debunks the Claim
An Instagram video posted on 23 September 2026 by Margo Martin, a Trump aide, captures the moment Mr Trump and Mr Albanese posed for the selfie. The clip shows Mr Trump wearing a red tie while delivering remarks earlier in the day and later changing into a blue tie for meetings and photo opportunities — including the selfie with Albanese.
Screenshot comparison of Trump's meeting with the South Korean president as captured in a Trump staffer's Instagram video (L) and in a photo published by South Korean media
Photographs from bilateral meetings that day corroborate the change of attire: South Korean media images of Mr Trump meeting President Lee Jae Myung and an AFP-distributed photo of his meeting with Venezuela’s interim president Delcy Rodriguez show the same blue tie seen in Albanese’s selfie. The US embassy in Canberra also reshared Albanese’s selfie, captioned “Stronger together,” lending further confirmation to the timing and authenticity of the image.
This handout picture released by the Venezuelan Presidency press office shows Venezuela's interim leader Delcy Rodriguez and US President Donald Trump posing for a picture during a meeting in New York on September 22, 2026HandoutVenezuelan Presidency
Wider Context
The misinformation surfaced amid debate over proposed Australian draft laws that would impose a “duty of care” on social platforms and give users the option to turn off recommendation algorithms. On 22 September, the US embassy in Canberra expressed "serious concerns" about the draft legislation, saying it could disproportionately affect US-headquartered companies and risk extraterritorial restrictions on Americans’ speech online. Mr Albanese defended the proposals as giving Australians more control over what they see on their devices while saying he would "always stand up for Australia's national interest."
Screenshot of US embassy in Australia's reshare of Albanese's selfie with Trump
Conclusion
Claims that Albanese reposted a year-old photo are incorrect. Time-stamped footage from a White House staffer and corroborating press photographs show Mr Trump changed ties during the day and confirm the selfie was taken on the sidelines of the 2026 UN General Assembly. AFP has previously investigated and debunked similar misinformation about Mr Albanese.
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