MSNBC is once again under fire for its handling of a politically charged story, this time for broadcasting what appears to be an AI-enhanced image of armed anti-ICE protester Alex Pretti, who was shot and killed in Minneapolis after allegedly resisting arrest.
According to Western Journal, the left-leaning cable network aired a noticeably altered portrait of Pretti during its Monday coverage, prompting a wave of online backlash and renewed accusations that MSNBC prioritizes narrative over truth.
The networks decision to cosmetically upgrade Prettis appearance rather than soberly examine the facts surrounding an armed confrontation with federal authorities struck many viewers as a calculated attempt to manufacture a martyr for the progressive cause.
Social media users quickly highlighted the contrast between the original image and the version that aired, with one X commenter bluntly stating, MSNBC Really Used AI to Fake Prettis portrait because he wasnt pretty enough to be a martyr.
When the two photos are placed side by side, the differences are unmistakable: the televised image makes Pretti appear more conventionally masculine and approachable, complete with a broader, warmer smile.
Observers also pointed to a series of other visual tweaks that collectively softened his look and made him appear less like a radical activist and more like a sympathetic victim.
Numerous X commenters condemned MSNBC for what they saw as an inappropriate, emotionally manipulative effort to gin up public sympathy by digitally beautifying a man who had taken up an anti-ICE, anti-enforcement stance.
For many critics, the episode underscored the moral emptiness of a media culture that glamorizes those who oppose immigration enforcement while ignoring the rule of law and the safety of American citizens.
Imagine dying for a stupid, unpatriotic cause advocating on behalf of foreign invaders only to have a leftist media outlet callously decide youre not good-looking enough to be a fallen hero, one observer remarked, capturing the disgust many conservatives feel toward such coverage.
Another X user spelled out what they saw as the propaganda logic behind the makeover, arguing that MSNBCs choice of imagery was anything but accidental.
They absolutely wanted to use the only image in nurse outfit, for propaganda reasons, the commenter said.
And since women are unable to feel sympathy for ugly men, they had to use the Ai version and hope no one notices.
Still another X user observed: They didnt want him to look like a skinny pale vegan nut They completely altered him, materially changing everything about him.
The controversy grew even more farcical when MSNBC host Nicolle Wallace used the segment to cast doubt on ICEs account of the shooting, sneering, Donald Trump and his administration are demanding once again that you do not believe your eyes and ears.
That line rang hollow to many viewers, given Wallaces own record of partisan spin and the fact that she was, on that very broadcast, presenting what critics describe as a sham, manufactured image of Pretti.
It remains a tragedy that anyone lost his life amid a left-wing riot, but the networks decision to exploit the incident with what appears to be AI-driven image manipulation only highlighted its shallow opportunism.
Rather than fostering an honest debate about immigration enforcement and public safety, MSNBCs theatrics reinforced the perception that much of the corporate media is more interested in emotional manipulation than factual reporting.
The timing of the unrest has also raised eyebrows, coming on the heels of viral revelations about multi-billion-dollar Somali fraud rings that have flourished under lax oversight and permissive policies.
For critics on the right, it is no coincidence that Democrats and their media allies seem to pivot to street protests and outrage narratives just as serious scandals involving their own constituencies begin to surface.
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