Fact Check: Is the viral photo of Donald Trump, young Ivanka and Jeffrey Epstein authentic?
WASHINGTON, DC: Amid ongoing debate over the delayed release of files linked to convicted offender Jeffrey Epstein, a viral image began circulating on social media claiming to show President Donald Trump, a young Ivanka Trump and Epstein together.
The image quickly gained traction across multiple platforms, prompting speculation about its authenticity. Here's what the available evidence shows.
Claim: Viral image shows Trump, Ivanka and Epstein together
The image began circulating this month, purportedly showing an old photograph of Trump alongside his daughter, Ivanka, who appears to be holding hands with Epstein.
The viral post renewed scrutiny surrounding the delayed release of the Epstein files, with some social media users accusing the president of attempting to distract from the issue.
The image spread across platforms including Facebook and Threads, where many users appeared to believe it was authentic. Others questioned its legitimacy, suggesting it had been digitally altered.
Fact check: The viral image was generated using AI
The circulating image is fake and was generated using artificial intelligence.
As many online users pointed out, the image contains several visual inconsistencies commonly associated with AI-generated content, including Ivanka Trump's unnaturally bent left hand.
According to Snopes, OpenAI's image verification tool concluded that the picture was created using AI. The verification also detected SynthID, Google's invisible watermark for AI-generated images that is also supported by OpenAI.
The image was first shared by a Facebook user identified as Christer Lundquist, who has repeatedly posted AI-generated content.
Although fabricated, the image was based on a genuine photograph of Donald Trump and Ivanka Trump. The original image does not include Epstein, nor is Trump holding the green popsicle seen in the AI-generated version. Ivanka Trump posted the authentic photograph on Facebook in June 2025.
Multiple publicly available photographs from the 1991 event, taken about a month before Ivanka Trump's 10th birthday, show members of the Trump family wearing the same outfits seen in the authentic image.
More Jeffrey Epstein-related files are still expected
The most recent release of Epstein-related files was required under the 'Epstein Files Transparency Act', legislation passed in November last year directing then Attorney General Pam Bondi to publish all classified Epstein-related material held by the Department of Justice, the FBI and US attorneys' offices by December 19, 2025.
Identifying information belonging to victims was redacted before publication.
Lawmakers have said the disclosure effort remains ongoing. Committee Democrats have stated that additional records are still expected from Epstein's estate, along with documents from banks and financial institutions that handled his accounts. They have pledged to release further material as it becomes available.
