Image of Cory Booker at the Capitol in pink shorts is AI-generated | Fact check

Isabella Fertel, USA TODAY
·3 min read
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The claim: Image shows Cory Booker in pink shorts at the Capitol after dress code changes

A Sept. 21 Facebook post (direct link, archive link) shows an image of Sen. Cory Booker wearing pink shorts in front of the U.S. Capitol.

"Senator Cory Booker Faces Criticism for Wearing Pink Booty Shorts at Capitol After Dress Code Change,” reads the post's caption. “‘These shorts represent the freedom to be oneself in an institution often characterized by conformity. Plus, they're incredibly comfortable.’"

Other versions of the post continue to circulate on Facebook and X.

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Our rating: Altered

The image was created with AI and originally shared as satire.

Image was generated with AI, creator says

The image of Booker, a New Jersey Democrat, in pink shorts and a pink polo was first shared on X on Sept. 21 by Jeff Charles, a political commentator and podcast host.

The X post includes the term "BREAKING" in its caption, which Charles' bio states is an indication that the post is satirical.

The post came after Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced on Sept. 18 that the Senate would no longer enforce a formal dress code, a move many saw as accommodating the gym shorts and hoodies preferred by Sen. John Fetterman, a Pennsylvania Democrat. The Senate has since passed formal dress code requirements, which mandate business attire on the chamber floor.

The image also appears in an article Charles penned for The Smattering, a website that describes itself as satirical. He told Reuters the image was created using AI.

Fact check: No, Rand Paul did not come to Capitol in robe; image is AI-generated

Several senators have joked about wearing casual attire on the floor since Schumer’s announcement, but there are no credible reports of any following through.

Other AI-generated images of senators from Charles' account include Rand Paul of Kentucky in a red bathrobe, Marco Rubio of Florida dressed as a bunny, Mike Lee of Utah in colonial attire with a musket, Josh Hawley of Missouri as a unicorn and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts in Native American attire.

The Facebook post sharing the photo of Booker is an example of what could be called "stolen satire," where content created as satire and presented that way originally is captured and reposted in a way that makes it appear to be legitimate news. As a result, readers of the second-generation post are misled, as was the case here.

USA TODAY reached out to the Facebook user who shared the post for comment but did not receive an immediate response.

Lead Stories and Check Your Fact also debunked this claim.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Satirical image of Cory Booker in shorts created using AI | Fact check