Tipsheet

Biden Allies Spread Photoshopped Pictures of the President to 'Prove' He's Fit for Second Term

John Hasson
John Hasson  |  August 01, 2023 9:00 AM

As a growing number of Americans believe President Biden is too old for a second term in office, White House allies are employing a desperate strategy to convince voters that the President is fit enough to serve: 

They are photoshopping Biden’s pictures. 

Their efforts appear to be part of a months-long campaign to sway the 68% of voters who think Biden is too old for a second term.

Since Biden launched his re-election campaign on April 25, White House allies have shared the same four digitally altered photos of Biden repeatedly—without acknowledging that the photos have been edited. One edited photo even retained its original Getty Images watermark, adding to its supposed authenticity. 

In each case, Democrat influencers contrast the images with unflattering pictures of Trump, arguing that the comparison proves Biden is not only fit for office, but also more fit than Donald Trump is. 

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Their posts have been amplified by A-list Democrats, including Malcolm Nance, Jon Cooper, and former White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain, who promised in his resignation letter that he would do whatever he could to help Biden’s reelection campaign. 

The most widespread photo appeared on July 8, when Democrat strategist Chris D. Jackson tweeted a picture of Biden vacationing in Delaware, contrasted with a picture of Trump golfing. 

In the picture, Biden’s face appears tanned, smooth, and features a confident smile. The caption reads “As I have said before, if they want to make this campaign about fitness: game on.”

The image went viral. Retweets from prominent Democrats, including Klain, boosted Jackson’s tweet to over a million views. 


But the image in Jackson’s tweet was fake.


Originally from Getty Pictures, the photograph had been altered to make Biden appear younger. The edits become abundantly clear when you compare the image’s original Getty copy (on the left) with Jackson’s image (on the right).


While Jackson’s July 8 tweet featured the most drastic edits compared to the other photoshopped images, the other edited pictures all follow the same pattern: they add color to Biden’s face, smooth his wrinkles, and exaggerate Biden’s smile (or as shown, add a smile where none exists). In each case, the result is a version of Biden that seems more youthful and ruddy compared to the president’s actual appearance.

1. A Getty original photo vs an edited version, posted by Chris Jackson on April 29 


2. An original image, from a video posted by Josh Wingrove vs an edited version, posted by Chris Jackson on May 14. 


3. A Getty original vs an edited version, posted by Chris Jackson on July 8. 


 4. An original image from Susan Walsh, (AP) vs an edited version, posted by Chris Jackson on July 13. 



While most of the photoshopped pictures (3 out of 4) originate from Jackson’s account, his posts have apparently spurred Biden allies to repeatedly share the pictures on their own, offering them as “proof” that Biden is indeed fit for office. 

The View’s Ana Navarro, for example, shared the image from Jackson’s July 8 tweet, alongside a different (but equally unflattering) image of Trump golfing. The post’s caption read “The difference between these two men is three years.”

Navarro’s image went even more viral than Jackson’s did, topping out at 3.6 million views and 57K “likes.”

Navarro’s post was easily the most successful in generating engagement, but it was hardly unique in content. Multiple Democrat accounts, with followings ranging from 12K to 226K, have spread the various photoshopped pictures to “prove” Biden’s fitness for office. Their efforts have created a months-long digital echo chamber which uses disinformation to sway voters’ views of the President. 

The desperate strategy highlights Democrats’ increasing anxiety over Biden’s age, as more than two thirds of American voters believe the 81-year-old President is unfit for a second term, and nearly half of Democrat voters characterize Biden’s age as a “problem.” 

In recent days, Biden’s campaign has taken measures to reduce the likelihood of public age-related gaffes. This includes providing note cards for Biden to use in meetings, and a shorter staircase when boarding Air Force One, according to a report by NBC News. 

Outwardly, Biden’s allies appear confident that the President is fit for office. Democrat Senator Chris Murphy, for example, downplayed voters’ concerns in a July 30 interview, arguing that voters care “care about effectiveness,” and that he believes Biden can still do his job. 

But if Biden’s allies believe the President is young enough for public office, would they really need fake images to prove their point?