Fact Check: Did Trump use AI to remove Melania and leave Natalie Harp in photo with Xi Jinping?

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump has previously shared AI-generated images related to recent events, and a recent image of him with Chinese President Xi Jinping has sparked speculation online. Some viewers noticed that First Lady Melania Trump appears to be missing from the image. However, another woman is visible in the frame. 

Some social media users claimed that the woman was actually Trump's longtime aide, Natalie Harp. Let’s fact-check the claim.

Claim: Trump used AI to remove Melania Trump in his Xi Jinping photo

Trump posted the image on Truth Social in September, showing him saluting beside Chinese President Xi Jinping shortly after Xi’s plane landed at Joint Base Andrews. A military jet can be seen flying in the background.

The image sparked speculation online because Trump and Xi appear to stand alone, while the two first ladies are not clearly visible. One woman does appear in the frame, and social media users began debating her identity. 

Some users identified her as Monica Crowley, the US chief of protocol, who later shared several photos from the event.

Others claimed that the woman was actually Natalie Harp, Trump's longtime aide, who is often seen near him at public events. 

The speculation raised further questions about whether the image had been digitally altered and whether Melania Trump had been removed by Trump while Harp remained visible beside Trump. An X user reported, "Lol, Natalie Harp, who manages Trump’s Truth Social account, used AI to remove Melania and insert herself into the picture 🤣"

However, the circumstances surrounding the image and the identity of the woman became the focus of the online rumor.

Fact Check: The image is altered

The claim is false. An X community note claimed, "The woman is U.S. Chief of Protocol Monica Crowley, not Natalie Harp. Crowley posted from the event. Melania Trump attended but isn't in this photo frame. The Truth Social version differs from the originals (e.g., missing glove, shoe style)."

The speculation began after the image Trump shared appeared to differ from video footage and photographs of Xi Jinping’s arrival at Joint Base Andrews on September 23.

Official footage shows Trump and Xi standing with First Lady Melania Trump and Chinese First Lady Peng Liyuan during the welcome ceremony.

The differences in the images led to questions about whether someone digitally altered the picture. In Trump’s posted image, the two leaders appear to stand alone, while the two first ladies are not visible. Other details also appear different.

Video from the ceremony shows Trump reacting to the loud B-1 bomber flyover, while the posted image shows him with a more fixed expression. Reports also noted differences in his clothing, including the gloves he wore during the actual event.

The image has therefore raised questions about what changes were made before Trump shared it and whether the people who appeared in the original footage were deliberately removed.