Power Lines with Oliver Darcy and Jon Passantino White House Melts Down Over Photo, Bari Weiss Eyes ‘60 Minutes’ Overhaul, MS NOW-NBC Tensions Spike
Apr 3, 2026
A scoop about the White House quietly pressuring AFP to pull an unflattering press photo and the unexpected fallout. Inside maneuvering at a flagship newsmagazine as plans for a major midseason shakeup and leadership changes swirl. A messy tug-of-war over talent between NBC and a rival network reshuffles faces and raises industry tensions.
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Don't Try To Suppress Routine Press Photos
- Avoid trying to retroactively control routine press images because complaints can draw attention and amplify the very content you want suppressed.
- Status reporting shows AFP pulled a Leavitt photo after a White House complaint and the image then spread widely across outlets and social media.
White House Had AFP Remove Leavitt Turkey Photo
- The White House complained to AFP about an unflattering photo of Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt from the Thanksgiving turkey event and AFP ultimately pulled the image from its wire.
- Oliver Darcy says AFP claimed an editor-in-chief review led to the removal, but he doubts the editor coincidentally reviewed that single Leavitt photo among thousands.
Takedown Backfired And Made Photo Viral
- The attempted takedown created a Streisand effect, spreading the Leavitt image far wider than likely would have happened if it stayed on the wire.
- Jon Passantino notes Swiss outlets and social media amplified memes after Status reported the removal, turning a minor wire photo into viral content.