Don’t Fall for This AI-Generated Image, Falsely Showing European Leaders Lining Up to Meet Donald Trump

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Recently, a special meeting was held at the White House between US President Donald Trump and a group of European leaders, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, related to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. Soon after the meeting, an image went viral, allegedly showing European leaders queuing to meet US President Donald Trump.

Social Media Posts:

A social media post circulated an image purportedly showing European leaders sitting in a line, with the caption stating, “European leaders waiting to meet with Trump at the WH look like kids lined up outside of the principal’s office.”

Facebook | Archived

The image appeared to show various European leaders sitting submissively in what looked like a waiting queue to meet President Trump. The same claim circulated in different languages around the world, hinting at the US President’s dominance and European world leaders.

We investigated to determine the authenticity of this viral image, which had been shared by a significant number of people and had received numerous comments suggesting it showed the reality of geopolitical influence.

Fact Check:

Since the relevant post claimed to show European leaders who attended a recent White House discussion with President Trump, we first checked if such a photograph had been published by recognised international media outlets covering the actual meeting. However, an image similar to the one circulating on social media could not be found in any legitimate news source.

We observed several discrepancies in the viral image that raised red flags immediately. Upon detailed analysis, we found a black tall shoe with a leg near the person resembling the French President, but no person was visible there. Additionally, shoes without people could be seen near a woman dressed in red. The floor pattern in the location where these people were sitting was not uniform, and the colours varied from place to place. Most notably, all the hands of everyone in the photo were positioned identically, which is highly unnatural.

Further examination revealed that the White House had published official photographs of the actual meeting held on January 18th between President Trump of the United States, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and seven European leaders. The official documentation showed the meeting was conducted in a dignified, collaborative manner at the White House, with participants seated together amicably around a conference table. Getty Images | White House

Official Meeting Details

The European leaders who attended the actual White House discussion were: NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and French President Emmanuel Macron.

According to official photographs, only the Italian Prime Minister and the European Commission President participated as women in the discussion. However, three women could be seen in the fabricated image circulating on social media. Furthermore, although four European leaders in the AFP-released photo were wearing glasses, no one in the viral social media image appeared to be wearing glasses. 

We also noted that international media outlets, including AFP and other recognised news agencies, published extensive coverage of this significant diplomatic meeting. If European leaders had actually sat in a submissive queue as shown in the viral image, this would have been a major diplomatic incident reported globally. However, no such scenario was documented by any credible news source. 

AI Detection Analysis

To examine whether this image was created through artificial intelligence, we submitted it to an AI detection tool. The analysis confirmed that this photograph was a generative image using artificial intelligence software.

Additionally, Ukraine’s National Security and Defence Council sent a message on X (formerly Twitter) stating that the photo circulating on social media claiming to show European leaders sitting in line near the Oval Office to meet the American President was fake.

The Actual Trump-European Leaders Meeting

President Donald Trump has been engaged in intensive diplomatic efforts to mediate peace in ongoing global conflicts, particularly the Russia-Ukraine war. Following his involvement in Middle Eastern peace efforts, Trump’s current focus is on facilitating dialogue to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict that has continued for more than three years.

The actual meeting on January 18th involved substantive discussions between President Trump, Ukrainian President Zelensky, and the seven European leaders regarding pathways to peace. During these discussions, President Trump indicated that a future meeting between Russian President Putin and Ukrainian President Zelensky would take place. Ukrainian President Zelensky confirmed his readiness for such diplomatic engagement. CFC | NBCNews

The White House meeting concluded with participants appearing together for an official group photograph, which was properly documented and distributed through legitimate channels. International media coverage of this significant diplomatic gathering was extensive and professional, reflecting the serious nature of the peace negotiations.

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Conclusion:

Accordingly, our investigation reveals that the image circulating on social media claiming to show European leaders sitting in a submissive line to meet President Trump is false and artificially generated.

The viral image is a fabricated creation using artificial intelligence technology, falsely depicting a diplomatic scenario that never occurred. The actual White House meeting was conducted professionally and collaboratively, as documented by legitimate international media sources and official government photographs.