Fact Check: AI Image Shows EU Leaders Waiting At White House Before Trump Meeting
The Center for Countering Disinformation, a unit under the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, has officially debunked the photo.
US President Donald Trump is holding a key diplomatic meeting at the White House today with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, joined by several prominent European leaders. As the high-profile summit unfolds, an image circulating online has sparked controversy, though it has since been proven to be fake.
The viral image appears to show French President Emmanuel Macron sitting in a hallway, flanked by six other European Union leaders, allegedly waiting for their turn to speak with President Trump. Some users on X (formerly Twitter) shared the photo claiming the leaders were being humiliated, forced to wait in silence with their heads bowed.
Trump has the Presidents of a Germany, France, the UK, Finland, the leader of NATO and the leader of the European Union waiting outside the Oval Office in chairs like they're at the dentist office.Meloni looks like she's been moved to a more comfortable waiting space.
This is… pic.twitter.com/JQfRX6Qc1c
— Joey Mannarino 🇺🇸 (@JoeyMannarinoUS) August 18, 2025
However, a closer look at the image quickly reveals inconsistencies. One chair, positioned next to Macron, shows a pair of visible legs but no upper body, suggesting a digital anomaly. Additionally, the image features three women, while Monday's actual meeting with Trump only included two female leaders: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. The clothing worn by the women in the image also does not match the official outfits seen in White House photographs from the summit.
The Center for Countering Disinformation, a unit under the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, has officially debunked the photo. The agency posted the image with the word 'FAKE" stamped across it and wrote, 'A fake photo is spreading online, allegedly showing European leaders who came to meet with US President Donald Trump sitting in a row waiting near the Oval Office."
The Ukrainian agency accused Russian propaganda networks of producing and distributing the AI-generated image. 'In reality, this photo was created using artificial intelligence and is being spread by Russian propaganda to discredit European leaders and devalue the significance of their participation in the negotiation process," it said.
A fake photo is spreading online, allegedly showing European leaders who came to meet with US President Donald Trump sitting in a row waiting near the Oval Office. pic.twitter.com/D9JqsTQolJ — Center for Countering Disinformation (@CforCD) August 18, 2025
Today's White House meeting includes leaders from France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Finland, Italy, the European Union, and the NATO, all in support of ongoing diplomatic efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war. Contrary to the false narrative depicted in the AI image, the talks were described as productive and respectful. 'We have had a very successful day so far. We are all working for the same goal. We want to stop the killing and resolve this," President Trump said, addressing the media.
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