Trump is getting criticized for spreading a fake picture of the Obamas.

On July 5, Donald Trump took to Truth Social to share an image that was digitally altered. It depicted former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama waving before boarding an Air Force One covered in graffiti. This image was proven to be false, prompting renewed scrutiny of Trump's use of manipulated images to target his political predecessor.

PBS News reports that neither the White House nor the Obamas have responded to requests for comment on the matter. The altered image showed the former first couple standing beside a presidential aircraft that had been given fake graffiti. The graffiti included phrases such as "Yes We Can," which was Obama's campaign slogan in 2008, "Obama," "BLM," which stands for Black Lives Matter, and the Arabic phrase "alhamdulillah," meaning "praise be to God." This use of graffiti has been criticized by civil rights advocates in the past, as it can perpetuate racial stereotypes.

This is not the first time Trump has shared manipulated images involving Obama. In February 2026, during Black History Month, Trump's account posted an altered image portraying the Obamas as primates in a jungle. The image was later taken down after receiving backlash from both Republican lawmakers and civil rights organizations.

Trump did not apologize for the post and instead blamed a staff member for publishing it. The most recent post came just a few days after Trump's first trip on a new presidential aircraft, a retrofitted Boeing 747-800 provided by Qatar. The aircraft, valued at approximately $400 million, has been customized to Trump's liking with a navy, red, and gold color scheme, replacing the traditional light-blue exterior of Air Force One.

In addition to the graffiti image, Trump also shared another digitally altered image in June. This one depicted Obama's presidential library in Chicago surrounded by what appeared to be garbage. In the accompanying post, Trump wrote, "The Obama Library ten years from now will be a 'Mecca' for those who hate America!

President DJT." This is just one example of Trump's repeated targeting of the Obamas throughout his political career. He has also promoted the false claim that Obama was not born in the United States, a conspiracy theory that has been widely debunked. Former President Obama has since responded to Trump's fixation on him, calling it an "obsession." Meanwhile, Trump continues to use social media to spread false and manipulated images, further perpetuating division and controversy.