AI & Tech · National
Trump's Truth Social photo of a 'restored' White House column was flagged as edited with AI, The Verge reports
A before-and-after image President Donald Trump shared to show White House renovation work carried Google's SynthID watermark for AI edits, The Verge reported. The White House did not immediately respond.
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What happened
President Donald Trump posted a series of photos on Truth Social to show off renovation work at the White House. According to The Verge, one of those images appears to have been modified with artificial intelligence. The picture compares an old White House column with a "restored" one.
The Verge reported that the image has several discrepancies. It also said the image was flagged by Google's AI detector as "made or edited with OpenAI." The story was written by Verge news writer Emma Roth.
What the photo shows
Steps that do not line up
Users on Reddit pointed out problems with the image, The Verge noted. In the "restored" picture, the steps on the two sides of the structure are uneven in number. The step count also does not match what appears in the "before" photo.
Two frames that look almost the same
The Verge said the before and after images are nearly identical in angle and detail. The reflections in the windows look nearly the same, and protective cardboard at the base of the column appears in the same spot in both. The outlet also described the "newly-painted" column as looking unnaturally smooth.
How the AI flag was found
Google's SynthID Detector
The Verge said it confirmed that the photo posted to Truth Social is flagged as AI-generated when uploaded to Google's SynthID Detector. That tool scans images, videos and audio for an invisible watermark. The watermark indicates that content was "created or edited" with AI, according to the outlet.
Other photos in the post
Not every image Trump shared carried the mark. The Verge reported that the SynthID watermark was not detected on the other pictures in the series. Those images show the White House facade and heliport.
What is still unclear
Whether the column was actually painted
The Verge noted that real pictures show people painting the front of the White House in June. Because of that, the outlet said it is possible the column did get a fresh coat of paint. The source does not say what the column looks like now.
No White House response yet
The White House did not immediately respond to The Verge's request for comment. The outlet's report does not say who created or edited the image, or why it was changed. For more coverage of artificial intelligence and online media, see our AI and tech section.
A history of AI posts
The Verge reported that Trump often posts AI-generated caricatures of himself. The outlet also said the White House has been known to post racist AI memes. It cited at least one photo deceptively edited to make a protester appear distraught.
In the renovation post, according to The Verge, the detector flagged the column image and found no watermark on the other photos. More national stories are collected on our nation page.
What to watch next
- Whether the White House responds to The Verge's request for comment about the column photo.
- Whether the White House or Trump clarifies if the column was actually repainted, which The Verge said is possible given real June photos of painting work.
