AFP Pulled 'Unflattering' Leavitt Photo After White House Expressed Displeasure
A photo of Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt was removed from wire libraries after the administration signaled its unhappiness — raising questions about whether the White House is shaping which images of officials reach the public.
What Happened
A photograph of White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, taken during a Thanksgiving-themed briefing in November 2025, was removed from the Agence France-Presse wire photo library after the White House made its displeasure with the image known, according to a report by Status, the media industry newsletter run by Oliver Darcy, published on March 30.
The photo was shot by AFP photographer Andrew Caballero-Reynolds and showed Leavitt holding her young son in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room alongside "Waddle," the turkey that was set to receive the traditional presidential pardon. The image captured Leavitt from a low angle as she and her son looked down at the turkey.
Once AFP removed the photo from its library, it was automatically pulled from the Getty Images library as well, since Getty distributes AFP's photography, Status reported. The image had already been published and was still viewable as of this week in an article on the website of the German-language Swiss newspaper Tages-Anzeiger.
AFP's Explanation
AFP's director of brand and communications, Grégoire Lemarchand, confirmed to Status that the image was removed after initial publication and that the agency was "made aware" that the White House did not like the photo.
Lemarchand said 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. He explained that during high-volume events like White House briefings, photos are moved quickly from the photographer's camera to ensure timely delivery.
According to Lemarchand, as reported by The Daily Beast, upon a subsequent review, AFP's editor-in-chief determined the image "did not meet our editorial standards," citing a poor angle and the availability of superior images from the same event.
However, Lemarchand also acknowledged that the agency was aware of the White House's feelings. He told Status that while White House staff found the photo unflattering, "there was no formal request to remove it, nor was there any external pressure involved."
Status editor Oliver Darcy noted in response that the White House does not need to issue a formal demand to achieve the desired outcome — simply making its displeasure clear is sufficient to prompt action.
Getty's Response
Anne Flanagan, vice president of brand and communications for Getty Images, told Status that AFP maintains full editorial control over its imagery. Flanagan did not answer questions about whether Getty had also received complaints directly from the White House, according to The Daily Beast's reporting.
A Pattern of Image Control
The Leavitt photo incident is not an isolated case. Earlier in March 2026, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth denied press photographers access to a Pentagon briefing after complaining about what he considered unflattering photos of himself that had been published, as reported by The Daily Beast.
The Atlantic journalist Nancy Youssef wrote on X that she was allowed into the briefing, but photographers were barred. According to two people familiar with the matter cited by The Daily Beast, Hegseth's decision was motivated by his dissatisfaction with published photos.
Together, the incidents illustrate what press freedom advocates describe as a growing pattern in which the Trump administration seeks to influence not just the narrative around officials but the visual record itself.
The Broader Context
Wire photo agencies like AFP, the Associated Press, and Reuters serve as the primary visual pipeline for global news coverage. Their libraries are used by thousands of newspapers, websites, and broadcasters worldwide. When a wire agency removes an image, it effectively disappears from the mainstream visual record, even if copies exist elsewhere.
The question of who controls the visual record of government officials has been a recurring tension throughout American political history. White House press offices have long sought to manage the imagery of presidents and senior officials — from carefully staged photo opportunities to restrictions on press pool access. But the removal of an already-published wire photo after government displeasure was expressed represents an unusual step.
AFP is one of the world's three major wire services, alongside Reuters and the Associated Press. Founded in 1835, it is headquartered in Paris and operates under a French statute that guarantees its editorial independence. The agency's charter states that it must not come under the control of any ideological, political, or economic group.
Neither the White House nor Karoline Leavitt's office responded to multiple requests for comment from Status or The Daily Beast.