White House Apologizes After Posting Photo Revealing Identities of Special Operations Troops

White House Apologizes After Posting Photo Revealing Identities of Special Operations Troops

Posted: October 20, 2023 | Last updated: October 20, 2023

White House Apologizes After Posting Photo Revealing Identities of Special Operations Troops

The photo showed the president shaking hands with several apparent members special operations

Published |Updated
Kayla Gallagher

The White House on Thursday apologized after posting a photo from President Joe Biden's trip to Israel on their Instagram that showed the faces of apparent members of special operation forces, whose identities are typically hidden.

“As soon as this was brought to our attention, we immediately deleted the photo,” a White House spokesperson told Fox News national correspondent Bill Melugin in a statement. “We regret the error and any issues this may have caused.”

The photo showed the president shaking hands with U.S. military members stationed in Israel and their faces were clearly visible and not censored.

"In Israel, President Biden met with first responders to thank them for their bravery and the work they're doing in response to the Hamas terrorist attacked," the caption read before the post was deleted.

Backlash ensued after the photo was posted. One intelligence analyst posted on X that this is a "massive failure" of the Biden Administration.

“Is the White House really this stupid or are they just trying to get people targeted ? This is totally unacceptable…” Fox News contributor Sara Carter posted on X.

She continued: “These operators are required to maintain a level of discretion that this administration has completely disregarded. I would know, my husband is a retired operator. They are elite trained fighters and something as simple as facial ID recognition is putting them in direct threat by adversaries. How did this happen White House?”

<p>President Joe Biden joins Israel’s prime minister for the start of the Israeli war cabinet meeting in Tel Aviv on Oct. 18, 2023.</p><a>President Joe Biden joins Israel's prime minister for the start of the Israeli war cabinet meeting in Tel Aviv on Oct. 18, 2023.</a> MIRIAM ALSTER/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

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