Old videos and images of former President Donald Trump were recirculated online in the days after his attempted assassination to push false claims about his condition. Social media users falsely claimed the images “prove” Trump wasn’t injured, or that he golfed less than 24 hours after the attack.
On Sunday, users shared photos and a video purporting to show the former president playing golf at his private club in Bedminster, New Jersey. In one photo, Mr. Trump is seen without bandages on his ear, putting on the green. In the video, he’s waving to cheering onlookers as he climbs into a golf cart.
But while Mr. Trump was at Bedminster on Sunday, the club was closed, according to an email to club members obtained by Politico. The person who appears to have first shared the video on Sunday admitted in comments that it wasn’t from that day.
The video was recirculated on other platforms by users claiming it was new, including in an X post by Sen. Mike Lee, a Republican from Utah, who later commented that he found out the video was old. Lee did not take down his original post, which has over 9 million views.
Some users also posted photos of Mr. Trump they claimed were taken at the Republican National Convention on Monday night. In the photos, Mr. Trump’s ear is uninjured and unbandaged. CBS News confirmed the photos shared were from previous events.
When the former president did make an appearance at the RNC, his right ear was bandaged.
BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images
Experts have warned social media users to exercise caution before re-sharing photos and videos that claim to be from breaking news events.
“Check your confirmation bias,” said cybersecurity expert Chris Krebs on “CBS Mornings.” “If this really hits your heartstrings, maybe step back and think, am I being targeted? Am I being provided information to make me think a certain way, or even act a certain way?”