Donald Trump has been caught cheating at one of his own golf clubs—although this time not on the course itself.
The 80-year-old president was called out online after posting a photo of himself driving golf great Gary Player around the Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey, on Sunday.
The original picture, as taken by freelance photographer Andrew Mordzynski and published by Getty Images, shows Trump as he actually is: a pasty, overweight, slightly disheveled octogenarian.
But in the digitally altered version posted by Trump on his Truth Social account the president appears to have had some kind of magical glow-up: younger, slimmer, and more manly. It’s the version of Trump he’d rather have us see.
In the original picture, Trump, wearing a white and gold cap from his own merchandise line, has puffy eyes and a blotchy, reddish face. His mouth is open.
In the starkly different version of the same photo Trump posted on Truth Social on Sunday afternoon, his eyes are wider, his mouth is closed, his skin is tanned, and the back of his hair is neatly trimmed.
His chest area has also been smoothed, and the “TRUMP” logo has been changed from the original, in a square patch, to more visible standalone letters on the shirt.
What appeared to be sweat near his forehead has been removed, with the philtrum between his nose and lip more pronounced.
Other visual indicators of an AI or photoshopping tool being used include the heavily airbrushed skin textures on both men, forsaking realistic pore and hair details.
The background also has a blurred look resembling a painting, with a warm, artificial-looking glow.
Apart from receiving a more tanned look, Player, 90, looks virtually identical in both photos.
X account Patriot Takes shared Trump’s photo with a different picture of the president with his golf buddy on Sunday, adding the caption “Trump’s AI Image vs. Reality…"
The Daily Beast has contacted the White House for comment.
Also not visible in the photo from Sunday are the bruises of varying sizes spotted on Trump’s forearms, alongside what looked to be a couple of scrapes.
Trump also sported Band-Aids on a couple of fingers of his right hand, which he rested on his knee while squinting forward at the route ahead.
The president’s bruising is usually most notable on his hands, not his arms, which were exposed due to his polo shirt.
He has previously blamed the bruising on his large daily dose of aspirin and excessive handshaking as part of the job.
Trump is no stranger to using AI, regularly filling his social media feed with computer-generated slop.
Last week Trump posted an AI-generated image on Truth Social depicting him alongside generals George S. Patton and Douglas MacArthur, two of the most celebrated U.S. military commanders of World War II.
A previous AI posting spree saw him digitally insert himself next to President John F. Kennedy, as well as cast himself as the star of imaginary science fiction films.
Last October, Trump famously posted an AI video of himself as a king, flying a jet, and dropping a brown substance on No Kings protesters.
