Trump shares falsified Obama image showing graffiti on Air Force One, AP reports

The Associated Press reports that President Donald Trump posted a falsified image of Barack Obama and Michelle Obama beside an Air Force One depicted with graffiti, including political slogans and Arabic text. The post follows earlier racist messaging involving the former first couple that was later removed after bipartisan criticism, renewing scrutiny of Trump’s rhetoric.

President Donald Trump on Sunday shared a falsified image of Barack Obama and Michelle Obama on Truth Social. The picture showed the couple waving beside an Air Force One covered in graffiti. The post drew attention because similar content shared earlier this year was widely condemned. The White House did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

The altered image showed a baby blue and white presidential plane with spray-painted words and symbols. The graffiti included “Yes We Can”, “Obama”, and “BLM”, meaning Black Lives Matter. It also included Arabic text reading “alhamdulillah”, meaning praise be to God or thank God. The graffiti theme has been used before in racist messaging.

Trump Truth Social post and Air Force One image

The Air Force One topic was sensitive after Trump’s recent flight on a new presidential aircraft. Trump last week took a maiden voyage on a retrofitted Boeing 747-800. The jet was valued at USD 400 million and was gifted by Qatar. Its look changed from a light blue hull to a navy underside with red and gold stripes.

After an Independence Day speech on the National Mall in Washington on Saturday night, Trump had no public events on Sunday. Trump spent Sunday at a golf club in Virginia. Trump was set to leave Monday for Turkey to attend a summit with NATO allies. The posts came as global leaders prepared for meetings there.

Trump Truth Social post and Obama criticism record

Trump has a long record of sharp and personal attacks on the Obamas. That history included promoting the false claim that Obama was not born in the United States. It also included crude comments about majority-Black countries. Trump has also posted material on Truth Social that has triggered anger and criticism.

The Sunday image came months after another post that showed the Obamas as primates in a jungle. That post appeared in February, during the first week of Black History Month. It was deleted after strong criticism from civil rights leaders and Republican senators. Trump did not apologise, and a staffer was later blamed.

Trump Truth Social post and Obama library image

Sunday’s post followed another from last month about Obama’s presidential library in Chicago. Trump shared a doctored image that made the building look topped with a large bag of rubbish. The image also suggested the area around it was barren land. “The Obama Library ten years from now will be a Mecca for those who hate America! President DJT,” he wrote then.

Trump has also criticised the Obama library in public remarks. Trump posted the altered library image twice on the social media platform. The repeated sharing kept the subject in view for Trump’s supporters. A spokeswoman for the Obamas did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment.

Trump Truth Social post and Giorgia Meloni image

The Air Force One post appeared among several Sunday uploads on Truth Social. One included an older photo that seemed to show Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni smiling at Trump. The image carried the words “RESTRAINING ORDER NEEDED”. The post risked further controversy during the week’s meetings in Turkey.

The Meloni post came after Trump claimed Meloni repeatedly asked for a photo at the recent Group of Seven summit. Trump also suggested Meloni begged for the picture. Those remarks led Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani to cancel a planned trip to Washington. Meloni rejected the claim as false, saying Italy and I never beg.

With inputs from PTI