Fox News' Brian Kilmeade Dragged for Airing Photoshopped Image of Mar-a-Lago Raid Judge

While guest hosting Tucker Carlson Tonight on Thursday, Fox News host Brian Kilmeade aired a photoshopped image of Judge Bruce Reinhart, the magistrate who approved the FBI search warrant on Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago home.

The edited image, originally of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell (who is currently imprisoned on child sex trafficking charges), makes it look as if Maxwell is massaging Judge Reinhart's foot.

Brian Kilmeade, filling in for Tucker Carlson tonight, shared a clearly fake, photoshopped image of the judge involved in approving the Mar-a-Lago warrant pic.twitter.com/W3cxHdy6id

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 12, 2022

During the show, Kilmeade put the photo on screen and said, "Also, a picture of Bruce Reinhart. This is the judge in charge of the ... warrant, and we'll see if he's going to release it next. He likes Oreos and whiskey."

The real image of Reinhart holding Oreos and a bottle of whiskey was one that he posted on his personal Facebook page in 2017 while sheltering in place during a hurricane.

Viewers were quick to call out Kilmeade for the clearly doctored photo. One viewer posted a side-by-side of the images and said, "FAKE, sick, crazy, disgusting!"

FAKE , sick, crazy, disgusting!
They're so afraid , desperate. They doctor a pic and claim it's real ?
They can't handle the truth !
Judge Bruce Reinhart the magistrate
who approved the FBI search warrant into Trump's Mar-a-Lago bottom photo. pic.twitter.com/RIYjkIzdEp

— Virginia@resister.pwc (@BluePWC2022) August 12, 2022

Another said, "The original photo (with Epstein in it) has been widely circulated and this obvious fake *even has the creator's handle in it*. And yet you couldn't even say for sure that putting it on air was inadvertent. Big call, but this may be a new low for Fox News."

The original photo (with Epstein in it) has been widely circulated and this obvious fake *even has the creator's handle in it*. And yet you couldn't even say for sure that putting it on air was inadvertent. Big call, but this may be a new low for Fox News. https://t.co/26xtiwkLh2

— Russell Brown (@publicaddress) August 12, 2022

Others simply made fun of the network and Kilmeade for using a fake image on air.

Unbelievable leaked photos of Fox News superstar Brian Kilmeade. pic.twitter.com/HPnvyoU9Ng

— Baron Cutler (@BaronCutler) August 12, 2022

And Kilmeade thinks he’s a “journalist”. What a joke.

— Katie S. Phang (@KatiePhang) August 12, 2022

Producer 1: That's a clearly phtotoshopped image. We haven't been able to verify its authenticity - not even a little bit.
Producer 2: RUN WITH IT....WE'RE GETTING CREAMED HERE, DUNCAN, AND YOU'RE WORRYING ABOUT THE TRUTH!! WHAT ARE WE - A NEWS ORGANIZATION?

— Anjali Deodhar "May hope and history rhyme."🇺🇦 (@anjali_deodhar) August 12, 2022

Even Sean Hannity pointed out that the image was fake as the network transitioned to his show — but the damage had already been done.

In a Friday afternoon Tweet, Kilmeade addressed the obviously-doctored photo, insisting he was "showing a meme in jest."

Last night while subbing for Tucker Carlson, we showed you an image of Judge Bruce Reinhart w/ Ghislaine Maxwell that was sourced on screen to a meme pulled from Twitter & wasn’t real. This depiction never took place & we wanted to make clear that we were showing a meme in jest.

— Brian Kilmeade (@kilmeade) August 12, 2022

Tucker Carlson Tonight airs weeknights at 8:00 PM ET on Fox News Channel.

This story has been updated to include Kilmeade's Tweet.

Kirstie Renae is a writer, blogger, and Austin-based actress with a penchant for binge-watching TV with her dogs. Follow her on Twitter @KirstieRenae.