Altered Image Falsely Shows Golden Trump Statue Covered in Trash
The Claim
A viral image circulating across Threads,[1] Facebook,[2] Instagram,[3] and X[4] claims to show a newly unveiled golden statue of US President Donald Trump vandalized with toilet paper, garbage, and debris at Trump National Doral in Miami, Florida.
Posts sharing the image suggested the statue had been defaced only days after its May 6, 2026 dedication ceremony.[5] Captions accompanying the image framed the alleged vandalism as a sign of growing public backlash against Trump ahead of the 2026 US midterm elections.
The statue itself depicts Trump raising his fist following the 2024 assassination attempt in Pennsylvania and was reportedly funded by cryptocurrency entrepreneurs and political supporters.
What CyberPoe Verified
Verification shows the viral image is digitally altered.
The original photograph does depict the golden Trump statue at Trump National Doral, but the toilet paper and trash visible in the circulating version were added later through image manipulation.
Reverse image searches traced the authentic photograph back to an April 28, 2026 article published by the Palm Beach Post, which covered reactions from professional golfers to the installation of the statue at the Doral golf resort.[1]
Original Image Shows No Vandalism
The unedited version of the image clearly shows the statue standing clean and untouched.
Visual comparison confirms that the background elements including trees, shadows, clouds, and lighting are identical in both versions, indicating that only the garbage and toilet paper were digitally inserted into the altered image. The original photograph was credited to sports reporter Tom D’Angelo and also appeared on Imagn Images, a professional sports photography licensing platform.
Trump Organization Denies Incident
Kimberly Benza, director of executive operations and communications for the Trump Organization, explains that the viral image was “completely fake.”[1]
No credible reports, police records, or local media coverage indicate that the statue was vandalized following its unveiling ceremony.
AI and Digital Manipulation Indicators
Kimberly Benza, director of executive operations and communications for the Trump Organization, explains that the viral image was “completely fake.”[1]
No credible reports, police records, or local media coverage indicate that the statue was vandalized following its unveiling ceremony.
Context Behind the Viral Spread
The image circulated amid heightened political polarization in the United States as campaigns intensified ahead of the November 2026 midterm elections.
The statue itself had already generated controversy online and among religious conservatives, particularly after televangelist Mark Burns defended the installation against accusations of promoting idol worship.
At the same time, public opinion polling released in early May showed rising disapproval ratings for Trump, contributing to the rapid spread of politically charged and emotionally provocative content online.
CyberPoe Verdict ❌
Altered Image.
The viral photo does not show the golden Trump statue vandalized with trash or toilet paper. The garbage was digitally added to an authentic photograph originally published by the Palm Beach Post.
No evidence shows the statue was actually defaced after its unveiling.
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