Stand up for the facts!

Our only agenda is to publish the truth so you can be an informed participant in democracy.
We need your help.

More Info

I would like to contribute

Ciara O'Rourke
By Ciara O'Rourke July 8, 2020

No, this photo of Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein in a limo is fake

If Your Time is short

  • A photo of Donald Trump and Ivanka Trump was doctored so that it looks like Trump is embracing Jeffrey Epstein. In the original image, Trump is embracing his daughter.
 
See the sources for this fact-check

President Donald Trump once called Jeffrey Epstein a "terrific guy," but this photo that appears to show him with his arm around the financier, who was accused of running a sex-trafficking ring before killing himself in custody, is fake.

In the image that’s being shared on Facebook, "Epstein" has his hand on Trump’s leg and the president is kissing the back of his head. 

The post was flagged as part of Facebook’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Facebook.) 

That’s because it’s a poorly doctored photo — you can see Ivanka Trump’s hair spilling out from behind Epstein’s face. The original image is from 1995 and shows the future president with his then-13-year-old daughter. 

Featured Fact-check

This isn’t the first photo of Donald and Ivanka Trump that has been manipulated in connection with Epstein. In July, we fact-checked another photo that was edited to make it look like Epstein was with the father-daughter pair.

Sign up for PolitiFact texts

We rate this image Pants on Fire.

Correction: The original photo is from 1995. This story previously said it was from 1990. 

Read About Our Process

The Principles of the Truth-O-Meter

Our Sources

Browse the Truth-O-Meter

More by Ciara O'Rourke

No, this photo of Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein in a limo is fake

Load more

Support independent fact-checking.
Become a member!

In a world of wild talk and fake news, help us stand up for the facts.

Sign me up