Zelensky's 'no portraits' speech misattributed to Senegal leader

"Senegalese President's speech that shook the world," reads an Indonesian-language TikTok post published May 11, 2025 that has been viewed more than 140,000 times.

It shares several clips of Faye while a narrator claims to quote parts of his speech when he became Senegal's youngest president at 44 years old (archived here and here).

"I really do not want my pictures in your offices, for the president is not an icon, an idol, or a portrait. I am only the servant of the nation," the narrator says, apparently quoting Faye.

"Hang your kids' photos instead, and look at them each time you are making a decision."

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Screenshot of the false post captured May 16, 2025

Similar posts surfaced elsewhere on TikTok, as well as on Facebook, Instagram and Threads.

But a reverse image search using keyframes found the main clip in the posts is part of Faye's swearing-in ceremony on April 2, 2024 (archived link).

A review of his full speech found he did not make the remarks claimed in the posts (archived link).

Faye highlighted his commitment to peace and democratic values and said Senegal, under his leadership, will have an independent justice system and a strengthened democracy.

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Screenshot comparison of the false post (L) and Faye's inauguration clip published by AFP

A keyword search on Google found the misattributed remarks were taken from the English-language version of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's inaugural message on May 20, 2019 (archived link).

"This is why I really do not want my pictures in your offices, for the President is not an icon, an idol or a portrait. Hang your kids' photos instead, and look at them each time you are making a decision," text published on the Ukrainian president's website says.

AFP has previously debunked similar misattributions here.