Trump pressures retailers to slash gas prices nationwide
President Donald Trump urges gas retailers to lower prices, warns of consequences as oil costs fall and tensions with Iran drive volatility.
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump raised eyebrows with what initially seemed like his latest addition to the White House – a giant golden eagle mounted on the Truman Balcony.
But an image of the eagle that Trump posted June 29 on Truth Social appears to be generated by AI and is not an authentic photograph.
The image shared by Trump displays a golden eagle, spanning several feet in width, with its wings spread to mimic the U.S. seal, attached to the railing of the mansion’s south balcony. It features an American crest with 11 stripes and 11 stars, two fewer than the 13 stripes that historically recognize the original colonies.
Trump’s message suggests that the ornament is intended to commemorate the White House as Americans celebrate the 250th anniversary of the nation’s founding. “A Golden Gift to the White House for its 250th Birthday Year!” Trump wrote in the post.
However, as CNN first reported, the image’s metadata suggests it was created by Google’s AI tools.
In addition, the Truman Balcony under Trump includes patio furniture and plants that don’t appear in the AI-generated image.
Andrew Leyden, a freelance photographer, posted photos he took of the White House at 9:27 p.m. ET Monday ‒ about an hour after Trump posted his image ‒ that showed no changes to the Truman Balcony, and no golden eagle.
The White House did not respond to questions from USA TODAY about the origins of the image.
Meanwhile, Trump’s “birthday” caption included an error. Although the U.S. was founded 250 years ago in 1776, construction on the White House did not begin until 1792. It was completed in 1800, with President John Adams and wife Abigail Adams becoming its first occupants.
Trump frequently posts AI-generated images on his social media accounts, but a golden eagle affixed to the White House didn’t seem so farfetched.
Trump has as well-known fondness for gold. In his second term, the president overhauled the Oval Office with gold embroidery, picture frames and decorations. That includes an eagle statue painted in gold placed behind the Resolute Desk.
Trump has also engineered several significant changes to the White House grounds, including the demolition of the mansion’s East Wing, ongoing construction of a massive ballroom, the installation of two 88-foot-tall poles with giant American flags, turning the Rose Garden into a patio, and the installation of statues of Christopher Columbus, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin and Alexander Hamilton.
Reach Joey Garrison @joey garrison.
