The White House under Donald Trump raised concerns about an unflattering photo of Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, prompting its removal from circulation after an agency was informed of the issue. The photo, taken in November 2025, depicted Leavitt holding her son at a Thanksgiving event, overshadowed by the presence of “Waddle,” a turkey pardoned by Trump during the annual ceremony.
Following a complaint, the agency decided to remove the particular image, despite being one of many captured at the event. The photo, taken by AFP photographer Andrew Caballero-Reynolds, showed Leavitt introducing Waddle to the press before a series of playful questions were asked.
AFP’s director of brand and communications, Grégoire Lemarchand, clarified that the decision to retract the photo was based on editorial standards rather than external pressure. Lemarchand emphasized that the image did not meet their quality criteria and lacked uniqueness compared to other available photos from the same event.
While the White House expressed dissatisfaction with the photo, no formal request was made to remove it, indicating that the decision was internally driven. Anne Flanagan, vice president of brand and communications at Getty Images, did not confirm receiving similar complaints from the Trump administration.
