Donald Trump falsely claimed that no crowd attended Kamala Harris’ Michigan rally, alleging that an image showing a large crowd was AI-generated. However, numerous photos and videos from the event contradict his assertion.
On August 7, Harris spoke at a rally in Detroit, attracting a substantial crowd. Trump took to his Truth Social platform, claiming the image was fake and that “nobody” was present. Yet, evidence proves otherwise.
The crowd at the rally was densely packed, and people spilled onto the airfield. Moreover, video footage from NBC News, PBS, and local media outlet MLive confirms the crowd’s presence. MLive estimated that around 15,000 people attended the rally at Detroit Metropolitan Airport.
The image Trump questioned was initially posted by Harris’ campaign staffer Bhavik Lathia. The campaign confirmed that the photo was taken by staff and not altered using AI. Metadata analysis supports this claim.
Some online users raised concerns that the image was manipulated, pointing to two specific details: the absence of a crowd in the plane’s reflection and the lack of an identification number on the tail. However, further investigation reveals that these observations are not unique to the disputed image. Other photos taken at the same event show the same view without a crowd in the reflection, and the identification number is also absent in different pictures and footage of Air Force Two. In fact, this suggests that the image has not been manipulated in these regards. Image analysis expert Prof. Hany Farid examined the photo and found no evidence of AI generation or digital alteration.
Trump’s claim that no crowd attended the rally is false. Multiple sources confirm that a large crowd attended Harris’ Michigan rally.
