Leavitt, long suspected of using cosmetic enhancements, appeared to arrive at the shoot shortly after receiving a new round of lip fillers. The close-up revealed visible injection marks on her lips, presenting them in an unflattering light. The slight swelling visible in the photo is a common aftermath of such procedures.

Leavitt has been accused of sporting Mar-a-Lago face throughout her time at the podium, and while she has never confirmed the rumors, she seemed to have arrived at the Vanity Fair shoot right after getting a fresh round of lip filler. The close-up shot revealed injection marks across her lips in a wholly unflattering manner. Her lips also looked slightly inflamed, which wouldn’t be out of the ordinary for the popular cosmetic procedure.

Leavitt’s photo has triggered a lot of noise, the loudest coming from her chorus of detractors. The comment section on the Vanity Fair Instagram page is full of Leavitt’s critics celebrating her unflattering photo. One of many people to notice Leavitt’s apparent filler points wrote, “Genius. The injection marks really sing in this one!” Others were baffled by how bad they thought Leavitt looked, considering she was only 28 years old when the photo was taken, with one person writing, “28 in dog years.”

Speculation about Leavitt’s use of lip fillers has surged due to Vanity Fair’s portrayal. However, photographer Christopher Anderson, who captured the images for the feature, dismissed any notion of a deliberate attempt to embarrass. He explained that his style often involves intense close-ups, aiming to turn portraits into a form of landscape art.

Despite Anderson’s defense, online chatter has crafted its own story around the images, casting a shadow over Leavitt’s public image. She has not commented on the photo or the rumors of her cosmetic procedures but has criticized Vanity Fair for what she perceives as an attack on Trump and his administration.

“Very close-up portraiture has been a fixture in a lot of my work over the years. Particularly, political portraits that I’ve done over the years,” Anderson shared with The Independent about his aesthetic. “I like the idea of penetrating the theater of politics. I know there’s a lot to be made with, ‘Oh, he intentionally is trying to make people look bad’ and that kind of thing — that’s not the case.” One of Anderson’s most famous photographs, one of the singer Rosalía, confirms that he’s focused on close-up shots in his past work; you can see it below.

Whatever Anderson’s intention, it’s clear the internet has formed their own narrative about the photos, and they don’t bode well for Leavitt, who has yet to weigh in on the photo or her plastic surgery rumors. She has, however, attacked Vanity Fair for what she felt was a “hit piece” on Trump and his administration.

While appearing on Fox News, Leavitt supported Trump’s Chief of Staff, Susie Wiles, who felt the publication had been disingenuous with their intent for the article. “I would just echo my boss, Susie Wiles,” Leavitt said, “in that this was, unfortunately, another attempt at fake news by a reporter who was acting disingenuously and really did take the chief’s word out of context.” Unfortunately for Leavitt, it’s hard to take that pure, untouched photo of her out of context.