Former White House press secretary faces photo-editing questions

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 19 Oct, 17:19 · Archive

Katie Zacharia, sacked after five days as White House press secretary, posted images that appeared to be digitally edited.

Katie Zacharia was ousted from her role as White House press secretary last week following an awkward debut in the James S Brady briefing room that lasted only 14 minutes, with questions emerging about her legal training. After being dismissed on Friday, she posted tributes to Trump on social media, describing him as a "kind, wonderful, gracious, thoughtful, enthusiastic, and hardworking man" whom "it was an honor to work for."

The first photo showed Zacharia standing next to President Trump seated behind the Resolute Desk. Hours later, she posted a second image of herself with Trump, this time accompanied by her family with the children's faces blurred out. Social media users quickly noted that Trump appears identical in both pictures, sporting the same expression and with his hands and fingers in the same positions, though the chair behind him appears to shift slightly between the images.

Commentators questioned whether the pictures had been altered using photoshop or AI. The Washington Post reported that digital traces showed the second image had been modified, with the report focussing on items on Trump's desk. The first photo Zacharia posted had included a blurred map on the desk, which appeared awkwardly edited out in the second version.

How it is being reported

• Katie Zacharia ripped for ‘photoshopped’ pic of her family in the Oval OfficeQuestions raised after President Trump appears near-identical in two images posted by the former White House press secretaryIndependent World · 19 Oct, 17:01
• Fired Katie Zacharia in new crisis after farewell photo fail with Trump revealed sensitive information she was forced to removeZacharia posted a photo with the president that included a blurred map on his desk. A second photo she posted appeared to have the map awkwardly edited out.Daily Mail · 18 Oct, 15:56

In this story: Katie Zacharia · Donald Trump · White House · Washington Post

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