Story perspectives

White House Rejects AI Image of Trump Kissing

By Drooid · Sep 17, 2026, 6:48 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

White House rejected an AI image falsely showing U.S. President Donald Trump kissing a woman with fingers.
Trump returned to White House with aide Natalie Harp after a North Carolina rally.
Harp, former OANN host, earns $150,000 annually, including a $45,000 cash gift.
Harp traveled with Trump to Ireland, he met President Catherine Connolly and Prime Minister Micheál Martin.
Officials voiced concerns about Harp’s devotion.

History

Historical Context

In April 2018 a Jordan Peele-backed deepfake of Barack Obama warned of AI-political deception, prompting the June 2019 House Intelligence Committee hearing and Senator Mark Warner’s Senate push for regulation. The 2019 MIT-NYU Obama deepfake, built for roughly $0.50 per second (about $60), foreshadowed White House dismissal of a fabricated Trump-kiss image as Trump, aide Natalie Harp, and Irish leaders Catherine Connolly and Micheál Martin meet in Ireland.

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Story summary

White House rejected an AI image falsely showing U.S. President Donald Trump kissing a woman with fingers.
Trump returned to White House with aide Natalie Harp after a North Carolina rally.
Harp, former OANN host, earns $150,000 annually, including a $45,000 cash gift.
Harp traveled with Trump to Ireland, he met President Catherine Connolly and Prime Minister Micheál Martin.
Officials voiced concerns about Harp’s devotion.

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