Fact Check: Doctored image of Trump spreads online amid health concerns

Declare:

A picture shared on social media in September 2025 authentically confirmed U.S. President Donald Trump with a puffy face.

Ranking:

In early September 2025, a picture claiming to authentically present U.S. President Donald Trump with a puffy face circulated on social media, including to unfounded rumors about his well being in current weeks.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s press workplace shared (archived) the purported picture of Trump in an X publish with no caption on Sept. 3:

The picture additionally circulated elsewhere on X, Threads and Fb, with some individuals who shared it speculating concerning the president’s well being. For instance, one X person who shared the picture on Sept. 1 wrote: “Who else thinks that Donald Trump is, on the very least, critically sick?”

A Snopes reader additionally wrote us seeking to confirm the picture’s authenticity. 

Nevertheless, a reverse picture search and evaluation of the picture revealed it was digitally altered. Consequently, we have rated this picture faux.

The unique photograph (archived) of Trump was taken by an Related Press photographer in July 2022 (archived). It confirmed him taking part in within the Bedminster Invitational LIV Golf event in Bedminster, N.J., in accordance with the caption.

A side-by-side comparability of the altered picture and unique photograph confirmed that Trump’s facial features, purple “Make America Nice Once more” hat and white collared shirt bearing the “Trump New York” brand have been the identical in each photographs.

Nevertheless, within the genuine photograph, Trump’s confronted appeared a lot thinner and had fewer pronounced wrinkles than it did within the altered model. Trump’s face additionally appeared slimmer in different genuine photographs taken on the identical day.

Newsom’s workplace acknowledged that the picture was edited in an emailed assertion to Snopes.

“In fact it is edited — that is why it is so humorous. We posted it so the world can snicker on the bumbling, senile President of the USA,” Izzy Gordon, director of communications for Newsom’s workplace, mentioned in response to our inquiry. 

Newsom’s workplace has just lately stepped up its efforts to mock Trump on social media, utilizing memes and all-capital-letter posts mimicking Trump’s distinctive type on Reality Social.

For instance, Newsom’s press workplace shared the next publish (archived) on Sept. 2:

The altered picture of Trump wasn’t new — it is made the rounds on social media for greater than three years. We discovered a number of variations posted on X (archived) and Reddit (archived) in 2022. Within the model shared on Reddit, the textual content on Trump’s hat was additionally edited to learn “Traitor.”

There was no proof to assist rumors in August and September 2025 that Trump’s well being was failing, as a few of the posts sharing the altered picture recommended. Some individuals on social media falsely claimed Trump had died forward of Labor Day weekend within the U.S. Previous to the vacation weekend, others additionally shared an unsubstantiated rumor that he had solely six to eight months to stay.

In July 2025, White Home Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed Trump had persistent venous insufficiency, “a benign and customary situation, notably in people over the age of 70.” 

Faux photographs and movies of Trump usually flow into on social media. For instance, Snopes debunked a faux video claiming to point out the president saying “trans individuals do not exist.” We additionally investigated a picture that purportedly confirmed Trump falling in August 2025. 

Sources:

“Trump Says Saudi-Funded Tour Creates ‘Gold Rush’ for Gamers.” AP Information, 29 July 2022, apnews.com/article/sports-donald-trump-henrik-stenson-ryder-cup-a25cf67b7d56b1db7cbb0eba428a25aa. Accessed 4 Sept. 2025.

Blood, Michael R. “Newsom’s Profile Soars with Trump Redistricting Struggle.” AP Information, 22 Aug. 2025, apnews.com/article/newsom-trump-california-house-texas-redistricting-e9546ed352cf5f3eb7739199ac8548c7. Accessed 4 Sept. 2025.

Christensen, Laerke. “Breaking down Rumor Trump Died over Labor Day Weekend.” Snopes, Snopes.com, 2 Sept. 2025, www.snopes.com/information/2025/09/02/trump-labor-day-weekend-death-rumor/. Accessed 4 Sept. 2025.

Taija PerryCook. “Breaking down Rumor Trump Solely Has 6 to eight Months to Dwell.” Snopes, Snopes.com, 27 Aug. 2025, www.snopes.com/information/2025/08/28/trump-6-to-8-months-to-live/. Accessed 4 Sept. 2025.