FactCheck: Images Showing Donald Trump Smiling After the July 13th Assassination Attempt Are Altered! 

BY: Mustapha Lawal 

Claim:

Photos show Donald Trump and security agents smiling while he’s being removed from the stage after he was shot.

Verdict:

False! The images in the claims have been altered. The real photos do not show anyone smiling.

Full Text:

Former US President and presidential candidate Mr Trump survived an assassination attempt with a bullet wound to his ear, but one spectator, Corey Comperatore, was killed and two other people were seriously injured. 

The gunman, who was killed by a Secret Service sniper has been identified as as Thomas Matthew Crooks. 

Following the incident, various claims and speculations have been making rounds in posts on social media platforms. Many tried to suspect foul play and staged actions in the incident. 

Photos circulating on social media appear to show Donald Trump and security agents smiling just after he was shot at during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday evening (13 July). 

One image being shared online shows three security agents smiling as they surround Mr Trump, who has blood on his face. It has been shared more than 6,600 times on X (formerly Twitter) and also appears on Facebook and Threads with captions including: “Why is the Secret Service smiling? STAGED” and “Photo op of the century”.

Another image features only Mr Trump and shows him smiling with his hand raised and his injured ear visible. The overlaid text says: “Think they bought it?”

FactCheckAfrica decided to check this claim we’ve seen many examples of digitally altered content of politicians, including Photoshopped Photo of Peter Obi Visiting Tinubu Alongside Dangote and Gbajabiamila during the Election Period.

Verification:

Upon verification, FactCheckAfrica found these images to have been digitally altered—the original photos do not show the Secret Service agents or Mr Trump smiling. 

The original photo of the former president surrounded by security agents was captured by an Associated Press photographer and is a wider shot where the agents are not smiling. 

Moreover, the original photo featuring only Mr Trump shows him with a serious expression and the edited version has been cropped to remove the Secret Service agents around him. 

There are many photos of the scene, as well as full footage, and neither Mr Trump nor the security agents can be seen smiling. 

Conclusion: 

FactCheckAfrica found that the images in the claims have been altered. The real photos do not show anyone smiling.

Edited by Habeeb Adisa