Donald Trump shared a sequence of images on Truth Social depicting renovation work at the White House. One specific image comparing an original column to a restored version appears to have been altered using artificial intelligence.
Google’s AI detector identified the photo as being made or edited with OpenAI technology. The SynthID Detector from Google flagged the image as AI-generated upon its upload to Truth Social.
Visual inconsistencies in the restored column photo include an uneven number of steps on both sides of the structure. The count of steps in this image does not correspond with those shown in the accompanying before photo.
Despite the claimed changes, the before and after images look nearly identical regarding their angle and level of detail. The reflection in the windows remains almost the same across both pictures.
Protective cardboard at the base of the column appears to be positioned in the exact same spot in both shots. The newly-painted column possesses an unnaturally smooth appearance.
Authentic photographs from June show workers painting the front of the White House. The SynthID watermark was not detected on other images Trump shared showing the heliport and facade.
Trump frequently shares AI-generated caricatures of himself, while the White House has previously posted racist AI memes. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
