It's happened many times before: an iconic picture gets tweeted out of context and gathers thousands of retweets before someone debunks it — but it's too late and it's already gone viral.

A photo showing White House staffers and top members of the Obama administration in the Rose Garden was shared widely on Twitter as Obama was due to meet President-elect Donald Trump.

In the picture you can see, among others, Valerie Jarrett, a senior advisor to President Obama, who is leaning with arms crossed against the white column; Jen Psaki, the White House communications director, and National Security Advisor Susan Rice.

Naturally, people believed the somber, concerned look in their face was caused by the sight of Trump in the White House, something they weren't looking forward to, it's fair to say.

Many people shared it on Twitter with this context, getting thousands of retweets:

If this ain't a telling pic: White House staffers look on as T**p makes his way to meet with @POTUS pic.twitter.com/tMJEk6OozO — Lesley Abravanel (@lesleyabravanel) November 10, 2016

White House staffers look on as Obama welcomes Trump. Those faces. pic.twitter.com/9jWIwNW6GX — Michael Moran (@TheMichaelMoran) November 10, 2016

White House staff awaits arrival of Donald Trump; look at their faces; this is a real picture folks, no photoshop. [Obama and Trump meeting] pic.twitter.com/ILSl3rVq7J — Chris Rocky (@chrisrockyoz) November 10, 2016

We are all the White House staff watching Obama welcome Trump as next president. pic.twitter.com/cxB54V9x1S — Emma Kennedy (@Nufanglenesse) November 10, 2016

However, the picture was not taken on Thursday morning, but on Wednesday as Obama spoke in a live televised address after Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton conceded to Trump.

A caption by EPA photographer Jim Lo Scalzo, who took the picture, reads: "White House staff members listen to U.S. President Barack Obama speak about Donald Trump's victory over Hillary Clinton for the presidency in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington."

Their expressions relate to one of Obama's last major speeches, not to his successor, Donald Trump, arriving at the White House for the first time.

The picture had already been shared widely on social media on Wednesday and even picked up by some media outlets.

Although some of them tweeted a correction, it was already too late: the hoax spread like fire:

Correction: This was the shot of WH staffers yesterday as @POTUS acknowledged T**p's win. Today they were all inside, sitting shiva. https://t.co/cRS9Q2THqT — Lesley Abravanel (@lesleyabravanel) November 10, 2016

BONUS: Trevor Noah's response to Trump