The Trump administration has come under scrutiny for allegedly misrepresenting the arrest of Nekima Levy Armstrong, a notable civil rights attorney, during an anti-immigration enforcement protest in Minnesota. A post shared by the White House on its official X page featured an altered image of Levy Armstrong, which depicted her with tears while being taken into custody, raising eyebrows among observers and advocates alike.
However, this portrayal has been called into question. According to Jordan Kushner, Levy Armstrong’s attorney, the original image shows her with a neutral expression, and the edits made to present her as emotional were misleading. Kushner expressed outrage over the manipulation, emphasizing that his client was calm and composed during the arrest. He noted that footage recorded by Levy Armstrong’s husband directly contradicts the narrative pushed by the White House, with assurances that this video would be shared soon.
As the controversy grew, White House Deputy Communications Director Kaelan Dorr responded on X, accusing those defending alleged “perpetrators of heinous crimes” of unfairly critiquing the administration’s messaging. The original announcement of Levy Armstrong’s arrest came from Attorney General Pam Bondi shortly before images were circulated by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and the White House.
The timing and similarities between the images—such as the positioning of the badge worn by an officer and the lighting—suggest they are not independent snapshots taken at different moments, reinforcing claims of deliberate manipulation. As of now, neither the White House nor the Department of Homeland Security has issued a response to inquiries regarding the incident.
This situation illustrates the ongoing tension between government narratives and civil rights activism, highlighting the importance of accurate representation in media portrayals of events, especially those involving contentious issues like immigration enforcement.