US3 min(s) read
Published 11:37 01 Apr 2026 GMT
'Unflattering' photo of Karoline Leavitt removed from the internet after White House reportedly unhappy with it
An unflattering photo of White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt was removed from the internet.
The picture, captured by AFP photographer Andrew Caballero-Reynolds, showed the 38-year-old holding her son while they both gazed down at "Waddle" the turkey during a Thanksgiving-themed press briefing.
It quickly went viral online after reports surfaced that the White House was unhappy with the image, which led to its removal from AFP’s library and subsequently from Getty Images.
AFP’s Director of Communications, Grégoire Lemarchand, confirmed that the agency was "made aware" of the White House’s concerns, and stressed that the decision to pull the image was "an internal editorial one, based on our standard quality and selection criteria" and that there was no external pressure.
"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, the Daily Beast reported.
"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," he added.
Viral Reaction Following the Photo’s Removal
Despite being taken down from major image libraries, the photo went viral on social media after news of its removal broke.
Many users shared and commented on the image, which had previously received little attention.
"Nothing makes the internet hunt for a photo faster than being told they can’t see it," one user quipped, while another said: "God forbid someone from the @WhiteHouse should have a realistic photo taken of them."
A third added: "The audacity these people have calling anyone a snowflake is off the charts."
A Pattern of Tensions with the Press
This is not the first time a member of the Trump administration has taken issue with unflattering photographs.
Earlier this month, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth faced a similar situation when he blocked photographers from attending a Pentagon briefing, reportedly due to negative photos of himself.
"I, along with print photographers, have been denied entry to cover today’s Pentagon briefing. All other media were allowed in," an Atlantic journalist Nancy Youssef shared on X.
In response, Pentagon Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson told The Washington Post: "In order to use space in the Pentagon Briefing Room effectively, we are allowing one representative per news outlet if uncredentialed, excluding pool."
"Photographs from the briefings are immediately released online for the public and press to use.
"If that hurts the business model for certain news outlets, then they should consider applying for a Pentagon press credential," they added.
VT has contacted Getty and AFP for a comment.