Unflattering Photo of Karoline Leavitt Removed After Meltdown

An unflattering wire photo of White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt was reportedly removed from major photo libraries like AFP and Getty Images. The photo, taken from a low angle during a Thanksgiving-themed briefing in November 2025, showed Leavitt grinning as she held her son next to a turkey.

The photo was criticized on social media for capturing Leavitt at an awkward angle that emphasized a "double chin.”

AFP's director of brand and communications confirmed the agency was "made aware" that White House staff found the photo unflattering following reports of a meltdown by the press secretary, despite it being months old.

AFP stated the removal was an "internal editorial decision" based on the poor camera angle and the availability of superior images from the same event.

Once AFP pulled the photo, it was automatically scrubbed from the Getty Images library, which hosts AFP content.

AFP’s director of brand and communications, Grégoire Lemarchand, told the news site Status that the image was removed after they reviewed others from the same event.

“During high-volume events like White House briefings, our desk often receives a large influx of photos directly from the photographer’s camera, which are moved quickly by the editor on duty to ensure timely delivery,” he said.

"Upon a subsequent review of the day’s production, our editor-in-chief determined that this specific image did not meet our editorial standards. The angle was poor and, more importantly, we already had a selection of superior images from the same event available on the wire,” Lemarchand explained before adding a caveat that no formal request was received to remove the photo.

“While we were made aware that White House staff found the photo unflattering, we want to be clear that there was no formal request to remove it, nor was there any external pressure involved,” Lemarchand said.

Status writer Oliver Darcy said it didn’t matter.

“The White House does not need to issue a ‘formal’ demand to remove a photo. Simply making it clear the administration’s press shop is unhappy with it is enough,” he said.

This incident followed several other photo-related disputes involving Leavitt and the Trump administration.

A December 2025 Vanity Fair photo of a tight, unretouched close-up of Leavitt's face sparked what critics described as a diabolical backlash by the petulant press secretary. Critics claimed it highlighted makeup and cosmetic procedures, while the photographer defended it as an "unfiltered" look at political figures.

Leavitt, 28, has faced criticism for allegedly "de-aging" or airbrushing her husband, Nicholas Riccio, 60, in Instagram posts. Following the backlash, she began posting images that omitted his face entirely.

The removal of Leavitt's photo occurred alongside reports that the Defense Department had restricted press photographers after similar complaints about unflattering photos of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.