Widely circulated image of US, Sri Lanka leaders is doctored

Published on October 9, 2025 at 07:04
2 min read
By Harshana SILVA, AFP Sri Lanka

Sri Lankan leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake met President Donald Trump on his first official visit to the United States in September 2025, where the two had a "cordial exchange". But a widely shared image of the two supposedly shaking hands is digitally manipulated from a genuine photo of Dissanayake with Trump's special envoy for South and Central Asia.

"Special meeting with president Anura Kumara Dissanayake and American president Donald Trump," reads part of a Sinhala-language Facebook post that has been shared more than 1,600 times since it was published September 25, 2025.

It features an image apparently showing Dissanayake shaking hands with Trump in front of Sri Lanka's national flag.

Screenshot of post sharing the altered image, taken October 8, 2025. AFP has added the X mark.

The doctored image surfaced elsewhere on Facebook after Dissanayake took part in a dinner hosted by Trump in New York for foreign leaders who attended the United Nations General Assembly on September 24 (archived here and here).

A reverse image search on Google found the original picture on the website of Sri Lankan President's Media Division. It shows Dissanayake not with Trump but with Sergio Gor, Trump's Special Envoy for South and Central Asia (archived link).

According to the article, Dissanayake and Gor met at the Office of Sri Lanka's Permanent Representative to the United Nations on September 23.

"During the meeting, attention was drawn to areas of significance to both countries, including trade, commerce, tourism and investment, with discussions focusing on further strengthening cooperation in these sectors," it reads.

Other pictures from the meeting with Gor were also posted on the Facebook account of Dissanayake's media office (archived link).

Screenshot comparison of the altered image (L) and the original photo

A subsequent Facebook post on September 27 from Dissanayake's media office said he had a "cordial exchange" with Trump before posing together for a photo (archived link). The post includes a picture of the two leaders alongside US First Lady Melania Trump.

Screenshot of picture shared by Dissanayake on Facebook

AFP has repeatedly debunked misinformation related to Dissanayake here.

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