LetMyPeopleVote
LetMyPeopleVote's JournalWhy Trump's altered image of an anti-ICE protester crosses a new line
The Trump administration is pioneering a new frontier in propaganda — and it’s meant to crush the resistance.
Why Trump’s altered image of an anti-ICE protester crosses a new line
— Michael Markowitz (@markowitz.bsky.social) 2026-01-24T18:54:39.071Z
The Trump administration is pioneering a new frontier in propaganda — and it’s meant to crush the resistance.
www.ms.now/opinion/trum...
https://www.ms.now/opinion/trump-white-house-altered-photo-ice-protester-armstrong
Just half an hour later, the White House released a similar image, but a couple of things were different. Levy Armstrong, who is Black, appears to have darker skin, and her face shows distress: She appears to be weeping, with strikingly prominent tears seemingly streaming down her face.
The second image appears to be altered, several news publications have found. The New York Times ran both images through an artificial intelligence detection system, and it concluded that the initial image was real but that the one released by the White House “showed signs of manipulation.” When asked by The Guardian whether the photo had been digitally altered, the White House sent a link to an X post by deputy communications director Kaelan Dorr that commented, “YET AGAIN to the people who feel the need to reflexively defend perpetrators of heinous crimes in our country I share with you this message: Enforcement of the law will continue. The memes will continue. Thank you for your attention to this matter.”
The Trump administration seems to have crossed yet another line in its assault on democracy. The White House has released manipulated images before, many of them generated by AI, but almost all of them are cartoonishly and obviously computer-generated. This is the first widely circulated manipulated image that I know of from the Trump administration that passes convincingly as a real photograph. This isn’t, as the administration tries to frame it, a “meme.” It’s a new frontier in propaganda, designed to deal yet another blow to functioning democracy......
While the NAACP said that Levy Armstrong and her fellow demonstrators were demonstrating peacefully, the White House claimed without providing evidence that she was “orchestrating church riots.” The altered image was meant to portray her as a cosplaying radical who broke the minute things got rough. The altered image also insinuated that Levy Armstrong regretted her actions or had lost her resolve. It invites the MAGA base to laugh at the weakness of its opponents and prompts the left to see its resistance as fragile and futile.
That the White House has done this unapologetically, even when called out by major news outlets, means we should expect this problem to continue — and likely to get worse. The problem goes far deeper than official communications about ICE, though. Under President Donald Trump, many federal government agencies cannot be expected to be truthful. But it’s equally disturbing that we have to expect that these agencies will blatantly lie in order to fulfill his quest to amass power and denigrate his enemies.
MaddowBlog-Trump denies 'weaponization' accusations while siccing prosecutors on his enemies Reply to Yo_Mama_Been_Log
The president wants to direct prosecutors to target his foes without regard for legal merits, but he doesn’t want that to be seen as “weaponization.”
https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/trump-denies-weaponization-accusations-while-siccing-prosecutors-on-his-enemies
[blockquote]Based on his testimony today, there is no question that Deranged Jack Smith should be prosecuted for his actions. He destroyed the lives of many innocent people, which has been his history as a prosecutor. At a minimum, he committed large scale perjury!
None his accusations was rooted in reality, but that didn’t stop Trump from publishing yet another post two hours later, demanding an investigation into Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota and accusing her of unidentified “Financial and Political Crimes.”
So, let’s review. The president finds it preposterous that he would be accused of trying to weaponize government. He simply believes that he can direct the Justice Department that he controls to prosecute members of his enemies list — preferably quickly — without regard for evidence or legal merits, to quench his thirst for petty political retribution.
Who said anything about “weaponization”?
Tim Walz unleashes after deadly shooting: 'We're creating a log for future prosecutions'
There will be prosecutions
Tim Walz unleashes after deadly shooting: ‘We’re creating a log for future prosecutions’
— #TuckFrump (@realtuckfrumper.bsky.social) 2026-01-24T20:01:15.000Z
https://www.rawstory.com/tim-walz-2675022150/
In Minneapolis, 37-year-old Alex Jeffrey Pretti was shot and killed by federal immigration officers after being wrestled to the ground and beaten. Video of the shooting spread wildly on social media and has sparked outrage across the nation.
In a press conference after the incident, Walz revealed that a “log of evidence” was being created for the explicit purpose of criminally prosecuting federal immigration officers involved with the shooting.
“Despite the horrific act by this federal government, Minnesotans are standing up for the rule of law; they're protesting loudly and urgently, but peacefully. It must stay that way, Minnesota,” Walz said.
“We're creating a log of evidence for the future prosecution of ICE agents and officials responsible for this. I call on all Americans to see the decency that this state is exhibiting, and the horrific cruelty, unprofessional, absolute abomination that is passing for what these ICE agents are doing on our streets. They think they can provoke us into abandoning our values. Well, they're dead wrong. We'll keep the peace, we'll secure justice with our neighbors, and we'll see this occupation end.”
Volunteers delivering groceries to families report being followed by ICE
Twin Cities Food Justice is partnering with local schools to donate 1,000 food bags to families.
The domestic terrorist organization known as "ICE" is stalking people at food pantries. And following people who deliver food to those too scared to leave their residences to go to those pantries. Despicable, lawless ghouls.
— Mrs. Betty Bowers (@mrsbettybowers.bsky.social) 2026-01-24T16:33:52.539Z
www.kare11.com/article/news...
https://www.kare11.com/article/news/local/volunteers-delivering-groceries-to-families-report-being-followed-by-ice-mn/89-41acb8b6-c126-4e3b-959a-eeb1c355288b
That has volunteers now bringing groceries directly to those who need it most, including the nonprofit Twin Cities Food Justice.
What started in 2016 as a way to reduce food waste is now gathering donations and connecting with local teachers who know the impacted families best.
Police chief defies ICE as agents try to block local cops from latest Minneapolis shooting
The police refused to be blocked by ICE from investigating this murder
ICE attempted to block local police officers from the scene of another Minneapolis shooting Saturday — but the city's police chief defied their orders.
— Raw Story (@rawstory.com) 2026-01-24T17:50:22Z
https://www.rawstory.com/ice-shooting-minneapolis
The federal agents attempted to demand the city's police officers stay away after gunshots rang out Saturday morning, but Chief Brian O'Hara refused, the Minnesota Star Tribune reported.
A video, apparently shot by a witness, shows Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents wrestling a man to the ground. One officer appears to strike the person with what looks like a firearm before several shots are heard.
O'Hara confirmed a man had died, as crowds of furious onlookers gathered.
Sources told the Tribune O'Hara refused ICE's demands and instructed his officers to preserve the scene. All available local police officers have been called into work.
Minnesota officials have complained that they were frozen out of the investigation of the deadly shooting of Renee Good by ICE earlier this month.
The Borowitz report-God Punishes Trump by Turning US into Greenland
So that's it!
— FoxtrotDeltaTango (@choconibbles.bsky.social) 2026-01-24T16:53:57.191Z
God Punishes Trump by Turning US into Greenland open.substack.com/pub/borowitz...
https://x.com/Gina660/status/2015085632033276030
https://www.borowitzreport.com/p/god-punishes-trump-by-turning-us
In a terse public statement, the Almighty declared, “Prayers answered, jerkwad.”
The act of God coupled with His blistering pronouncement left many atheists reconsidering their positions, nonbelievers reported.
In Canada, Prime Minister Mark Carney extended a helping hand to his beleaguered American counterpart, offering, “Since we know how to handle cold weather, we would consider making the United States our eleventh province.”
White House roasted for not knowing where penguins actually live: 'Wrong hemisphere!'
The trump administration is full of idiots.
White House roasted for not knowing where penguins actually live: 'Wrong hemisphere!'
— #TuckFrump (@realtuckfrumper.bsky.social) 2026-01-24T00:50:15.000Z
https://www.rawstory.com/trump-greenland-2675020856/
As Trump openly fantasizes about taking over Greenland from Denmark, the official White House account posted an artificial intelligence-generated photo of the president walking next to a penguin on a block of ice. In the photo, the penguin carries a U.S. flag and the two walk toward a Greenland flag.
Observers quickly pounced on the post, noting the massive island contains no penguins. Indeed, all 18 penguin species are confined to the Southern Hemisphere, with the highest concentrations on Antarctic coasts and sub-Antarctic islands.
The anti-Trump account PatriotTakes wrote on X, "There are no penguins in Greenland. All Penguins live in the southern hemisphere except one species from the Galapagos Islands. Perhaps you shouldn’t have dismantled the Department of Education so quickly."
Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) chided on X, "Wrong hemisphere."....
Brian Espinoza, writer for the Rogue Rocket & Philip DeFranco Show, wrote on X, "You dumb mother f---ers, there are no penguins in the North."
https://x.com/WhiteHouse/status/2014819683757678654
MaddowBlog-'She just rubbed me the wrong way': Trump says more than he should about tariffs
At the heart of the White House’s tariffs policy are alleged “emergency” conditions. The president, however, keeps forgetting to keep up appearances
‘She just rubbed me the wrong way’: Trump says more than he should about tariffs - MS NOW
— (@oc88.bsky.social) 2026-01-22T18:02:59.635Z
apple.news/A6-pXdmk4ThG...
https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/she-just-rubbed-me-the-wrong-way-trump-says-more-than-he-should-about-tariffs
President Trump said on Wednesday that he imposed higher tariffs on Switzerland last year, at least in part, because of a phone call with the country’s president that ‘rubbed me the wrong way.’
The tariff rate, which Mr. Trump set at 39 percent last August, was significantly higher than the rates he imposed on the European Union, which negotiated a 15 percent tariff, and Britain, which reached a 10 percent tariff deal.
As part of his remarks, the American president admitted that he didn’t remember the name of the Swiss president at the time, Karin Keller-Sutter, or her title. (“I guess prime minister, I don’t think president,” Trump said.).....
As for Congress, which is actually empowered by the Constitution to set tariff rates, a reporter asked House Speaker Mike Johnson whether lawmakers will ever get around to exerting their authority.
Johnson: I have no intention of getting in the way of President Trump and his administration. He has used the tariff power that he has under Article II. He has not exceeded his authority. There is no reason for the Article I branch to intervene.
— Acyn (@acyn.bsky.social) 2026-01-22T00:13:59.067Z
The Louisiana Republican, who’s long described himself as a “constitutional lawyer,” replied, “I have no intention of getting in the way of President Trump and his administration [on tariffs policy]. He has used the tariff power that he has under Article II very effectively.”
As Johnson really ought to know, there is no such thing an Article 2 tariff power. As a legal matter, the House speaker’s comments were gibberish.
DOJ sought to probe Renee Good for criminal liability, even after her death: Sources
A judge refused an FBI warrant that proposed investigating dead Minnesota mom for suspected assault on an officer.
MS NOW EXCLUSIVE: DOJ sought to probe Renee Good for criminal liability, even after her death: Sources
— MS NOW (@ms.now) 2026-01-24T00:11:10.166Z
www.ms.now/news/doj-sou...
https://www.ms.now/news/doj-sought-to-probe-renee-good-for-criminal-liability-even-after-her-death-sources
After Good was killed on Jan. 7, FBI agents drafted a search warrant to obtain her car to reconstruct the path of bullets that an ICE officer shot into the vehicle. But they were instructed to redraft their warrant and change the subject of the investigation from a civil rights probe to an investigation into a suspected assault on an officer, the people said. A federal magistrate judge rejected that warrant, noting that Good was already dead and could not be considered a suspect for a warrant.
It was widely reported that the Justice Department chose not to investigate the ICE officer who shot and killed Good, but the details about how top Justice officials directed the altering of the investigation and search warrant — and how it was rejected as weak by a federal judge — have not been previously reported.
It’s extremely rare for judges to reject federal prosecutors’ requests for search warrants, as the standard for evidence needed to grant one is low. Prosecutors and investigators need to only show probable cause that they will find evidence of a crime in the location they wish to search. .....
The U.S. Attorney’s office in Minneapolis has suffered a string of embarrassing blows from the federal bench, where magistrate judges have rejected arrest warrants and criminal complaints the office has submitted against protesters. That is also exceptionally rare, because the standard for an arrest warrant is also probable cause to believe the suspect committed a crime. As MSNOW reported Friday morning, magistrate judges have ruled in several cases that the the federal prosecutors and officers who provide accounts of their interactions with protesters have not provided sufficient evidence to meet that low bar.
DOJ sought to probe Renee Good for criminal liability, even after her death: Sources
Source: MS NOW
Aides to Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche directed the U.S. Attorney’s office and FBI agents based in Minnesota to shut down a civil rights investigation into an officer’s fatal shooting of Renee Good and instead alter it to probe Good for possible criminal liability, according to three people briefed on the discussions.
After Good was killed on Jan. 7, FBI agents drafted a search warrant to obtain her car to reconstruct the path of bullets that an ICE officer shot into the vehicle. But they were instructed to redraft their warrant and change the subject of the investigation from a civil rights probe to an investigation into a suspected assault on an officer, the people said. A federal magistrate judge rejected that warrant, noting that Good was already dead and could not be considered a suspect for a warrant.
It was widely reported that the Justice Department chose not to investigate the ICE officer who shot and killed Good, but the details about how top Justice officials directed the altering of the investigation and search warrant — and how it was rejected as weak by a federal judge — have not been previously reported.
It’s extremely rare for judges to reject federal prosecutors’ requests for search warrants, as the standard for evidence needed to grant one is low. Prosecutors and investigators need to only show probable cause that they will find evidence of a crime in the location they wish to search. .....
The U.S. Attorney’s office in Minneapolis has suffered a string of embarrassing blows from the federal bench, where magistrate judges have rejected arrest warrants and criminal complaints the office has submitted against protesters. That is also exceptionally rare, because the standard for an arrest warrant is also probable cause to believe the suspect committed a crime. As MSNOW reported Friday morning, magistrate judges have ruled in several cases that the the federal prosecutors and officers who provide accounts of their interactions with protesters have not provided sufficient evidence to meet that low bar.
Read more: https://www.ms.now/news/doj-sought-to-probe-renee-good-for-criminal-liability-even-after-her-death-sources
MS NOW EXCLUSIVE: DOJ sought to probe Renee Good for criminal liability, even after her death: Sources
— MS NOW (@ms.now) 2026-01-24T00:11:10.166Z
www.ms.now/news/doj-sou...
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