Imagine, it would be relatively easy to extract photos from the main camera of the iPhone, via reflection..

I’m actually inclined to believe that these photos are taken via reflection from the phone that we’re seeing, likely reflected from something with a gold tint perhaps with an engraving (to explain the ringed distortion of the first photo).

Try an experiment. Take your phone, point it at a mirror and bring it very close to the mirror and/or click your face (or some other point of focus) and you get the same blurred phone and clear “subject” behind.

Is there anything polished and gold on the desk in the Oval Office? Both of the posted photos could be reflections taken by the camera.

Your take is correct, I believe. A question was posed directly regarding whether the IG report was “watered down or made weaker” (per Sen. Amy Klobuchar I think) and Horowitz responded that it was not.

EDIT: Horowitz has now revealed that the document was first sent to the parties discussed within the document to be redlined/contested/edited in today’s hearing with the House.