PoliticsKaroline Leavitt Accused of Using AI in White House Exit Statement
Outgoing White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt was busted by a since-deleted 'Made With AI' label on an allegedly altered photo in her exit message.
Aug. 13 2026, Updated 1:07 p.m. ET
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt drew widespread attention when her official resignation statement post on X was flagged with a "Made with AI" label.
The platform automatically applied the tag following her announcement on Wednesday, August 12, that she will step down at the end of August to focus on her young family.
The controversy likely stems from a photograph attached to her post showing her alongside President Donald Trump.
Did Karoline Leavitt Post AI-Edited Photos?
Karoline Leavitt's resignation post was initially given a 'Made with AI' tag before the label was removed.
When viewers compared the picture to original news photos taken on July 15, 2025, they noticed significant edits. The AI-altered version featured visibly enhanced characteristics, including fuller hair, a narrower chin, more pronounced cheekbones and a slimmer waist.
Industry experts note that the tag may have been triggered by advanced digital watermarking tools now embedded in consumer editing and AI products.
The "Made with AI" label was highly visible on Wednesday evening before ultimately being removed or disappearing from the post on X.
The mom-of-two is stepping down from her role at the end of August.
Neither Leavitt, X, nor the White House Press Office has issued a formal comment clarifying whether an AI tool was used to edit the photo or draft the accompanying text.
Leavitt has a history of posting what critics blast as photographs highlighting her vanity, to go along with an administration that seems to prioritize appearances.
In late 2025 and early 2026, the White House actively clashed with mainstream news outlets over how the 28-year-old was portrayed.
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People believe the photos Karoline Leavitt shared in her announcement were enhanced with AI.
The administration criticized close-up portraits published in Vanity Fair, and news agency Agence France-Presse (AFP) even removed a Thanksgiving-related photo from circulation after the Trump administration staffers complained it was "unflattering.”
Third parties have also used AI on her image, but not Leavitt herself. Following the Vanity Fair photo release, online commentators used AI to "predict" what her face would look like without makeup or cosmetic procedures.
Additionally, in early August 2026, a completely fabricated, AI-generated image went viral on X showing Leavitt and other White House staff holding babies alongside the Trumps.
The Trump administration actively integrates artificial intelligence across federal operations, while President Trump himself frequently shares AI-generated media.
Under Trump's 2025 AI Action Plan, the administration has aggressively pushed for federal agencies to deploy AI to increase efficiency. An analysis tracking government usage found nearly 3,000 active instances of AI across 29 federal agencies.
Lara Trump Admitted to Using AI
Lara Trump recently admitted to using an AI-powered app to edit a family photo.
Trump's daughter-in-law Lara Trump openly admitted to using an AI-powered photo app that accidentally distorted a family selfie. The incident occurred in July after she posted a carousel of images on Instagram from the 2026 FIFA World Cup final at MetLife Stadium.
Followers quickly spotted bizarre, warped anomalies in a suite selfie featuring Lara, her daughter Carolina and sister-in-law Tiffany Trump.
Instead of ignoring the online mockery, Lara posted an explanation to her Instagram Stories, blaming an automated feature in an app (believed to be Instasize) that she used to scale the image to fit the Instagram frame. She playfully wrote, “When AI takes over... the app I used to fit this in the frame changed my nails and made Carolina's straw SOOO long.”
