Manipulated image of Donald Trump bowing to Xi Jinping in China appears online
Thai PBS Verify found the fake image on: Facebook
An image was shared on social media, allegedly depicting U.S. President Donald Trump bowing to Chinese President Xi Jinping.
After the U.S. President Donald Trump wrapped up his first official visit to China in over a decade—a key high-level meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping—Thai PBS Verify found a suspicious post by Facebook user ‘ปิยะ ชูใจ (Piya Choojai).’ The post includes an image claiming to show President Trump bowing to President Xi, with a hashtag and emojis: “#มหาอำนาจ (#Superpower)😂😂🤣”
The image was posted on May 16, 2026 in a Facebook group named ‘นั่งอยู่บ้าน วิจารณ์ธนาธร (Sitting at Home, Criticizing Thanathorn).’
Additionally, it was noted that the same photo has been forwarded and appeared on Threads and X.
Donald Trump did not bow to Xi Jinping
An analysis on Hive Moderation yielded no evidence that the image was AI-generated.
The analysis results suggest that the photo was not AI-generated.
Thai PBS Verify tracked down the original video through a keyword search, finding a live report from China’s Xinhua News Agency on the official meeting. The actual footage shows that the two leaders met and shook hands as usual, with no indication that President Trump bowed to President Xi.
The fake photo (left) compared to the original live-stream footage from China’s Xinhua News Agency (right).
To investigate further, the team analysed the photo in question with FotoForensics, a website that checks for Photoshop editing and digital tampering using Error Level Analysis (ELA). ELA identifies discrepancies in image quality; original, untouched photos generally maintain a consistent coloration, whereas edited images show noticeable color contrasts. The test results for this particular image revealed red spots scattered across the photo, pointing to a high likelihood that it has been photoshopped.
The analysis revealed red patches across the entire frame, indicating a high probability that the image has been digitally altered.
What is the truth?
The image in question was shared in a Facebook group on May 16, 2026, purposely showing U.S. President Donald Trump bowing to Chinese President Xi Jinping. However, Thai PBS Verify found that the photo is fake. Here is the breakdown of the actual facts:
- Official interaction limited to a normal handshake: According to the live broadcast by China’s state-run Xinhua News Agency, the actual footage shows the two leaders simply greeting each other with a formal handshake.
- No signs of bowing: There is no evidence of Donald Trump bowing or making any such gesture, proving that the viral post is entirely manipulated.
Verification Process
Through its fact-checking and verification process, the Thai PBS Verify team uncovered three key pieces of evidence:
- AI detector scan (negative results): After running the photo through Hive Moderation, the analysis confirmed that the image is not a product of Generative AI.
- Source video investigation (context check): Finding the real live broadcast from Xinhua News Agency confirmed that the actual event was just a standard handshake.
- FotoForensics digital alteration test (edited): The team ran the photo through Error Level Analysis (ELA) to detect Photoshop edits. The results showed dense red spots across the image, exposing variations in quality caused by digital alteration. This clearly confirms that the photo is a fake.
Potential impacts of the fake image
- Affecting national security and international relations: This image undermines the dignity of the U.S. leader and could be weaponized as a political propaganda tool to fabricate a narrative that China holds superiority over the United States.
- Spreading widespread public misunderstanding: Circulating this photo in political commentary groups has led to the spread of misinformation, sparking hate speech and ridicule over something that never actually happened.
- Increasing the complexity of fact-checking: In an era where the public is highly focused on detecting AI-generated imagery, this piece of misinformation demonstrates that traditional photo editing (like Photoshop) can still effectively deceive people if not subjected to a deep, rigorous investigation.
What to do with this misinformation?
When encountering highly unusual or unbelievable images of public figures and world events, it is recommended to observe the following guidelines:
- Analyze the context first: Don’t believe everything you see immediately. A world leader bowing to another is a monumental shift in global politics. If a situation like this actually happened, it would undoubtedly be a massive headline on every mainstream news platform.
- Find the original source: Use reverse image search or find the real event video from reliable news agencies like Reuters, AP, or Xinhua for full context.
- Report to fact-checkers: When in doubt, forward the photo or URL to verification bodies such as Thai PBS Verify. Crucially, refrain from liking, commenting, and sharing so as not to increase the reach or algorithm traction of the hoax account.
