Bill Ackman Forced to Walk Back Claim That Time’s Gaza Cover Photo Was ‘Staged’ as He Faces Intense Backlash

Billionaire hedge funder and MAGA megadonor Bill Ackman has walked back his claims that Time’s Gaza cover photo of Palestinians lining up for food at an aid station was “staged.”

The image used on the magazine’s Aug. 1 issue, taken by Palestinian photographer Ali Jadallah and licensed via Getty Images, came under scrutiny and sparked debate after German tabloid Bild claimed Gaza-based photographers were staging photos to promote Hamas propaganda.

The Bild article claimed that “almost exclusively Palestinian photographers” were currently operating in Gaza, with alleged Hamas links shaping the visual narrative emerging from the besieged enclave.

One expert told Bild that Hamas now controls “100% of image production” in southern Gaza.

While Jadallah was not among those named in Bild’s report, critics drew comparisons between his widely circulated image and others allegedly manipulated for political effect.

Ackman joined the pile on, tagging Time’s billionaire owner Marc Benioff in an X post citing pro-Israel commentator Eyal Yakoby’s claim the image was “fake.”

The Trump ally, however, deleted all the tweets early Thursday, maintaining that the scene may have been “staged” but admitted that he “cannot definitely determine what the truth is on the ground” and that “the subjects in the video seemed desperate for food.” He concluded by adding that it’s “likely” that “access to food is challenging in Gaza,” but placed blame squarely on Hamas.

Some commentators piled on Ackman’s cautious step back, slamming him for promoting the story at all:

In response to general criticism after Bild’s report, a spokesperson for Time defended the cover in comment to The Wrap: “The photographer referenced in the Bild story did not take the photograph that appeared on the cover of Time. The photograph that appeared on the recent Time cover, dated Aug. 1, 2025, was taken by photographer Ali Jadallah in Gaza City on July 22 and licensed by Time from Getty Images.”

The outlet directed The Wrap to the Getty landing page for Jadallah’s work, dated July 22: “Photos taken by Jadallah on the same day at a charity food distribution site can be found here, and provide greater context for the photograph by Jadallah that appeared on Time’s cover.”