Fact check: Collage claiming to show how recent presidents spent Thanksgiving eve is false
The claim: Past presidents spent Thanksgiving eve with U.S. troops; Trump golfed
A meme posted to Facebook claims to show how the four most recent presidents – Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Donald Trump – spent the day before Thanksgiving. While the three former presidents are pictured shaking hands with U.S. troops, Trump is pictured golfing.
“Thanksgiving eve for the last 20 years – notice anything different?” the text over the photo collage reads. New Century Times, the Facebook page that posted the meme, did not respond to USA TODAY’s request for comment.
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Photos don’t show the presidents on Thanksgiving eve
While the photos are authentic, none of them was taken the day before Thanksgiving or any day close to the holiday.
The photo of Clinton was taken on Jan. 13, 1996, during a trip to the former Yugoslav republic, according to a caption by Getty Images, which owns the photo. He’s shaking the hands of U.S. soldiers who were there to enforce a U.S.-brokered peace accord.
Bush’s photo was taken at Camp Bondsteel in Kosovo on July 24, 2001, where he traveled to “show support for the troops,” according to the U.S. Department of Defense, where the photo is housed.
Obama made a surprise visit to the Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan on May 25, 2014, when the photo was taken, according to the White House archives from his administration. He told the troops there that his “single mission” for the trip was to express gratitude toward them for their service.
And the image of Trump was made on June 27, 2012, long before he became president. Trump participated in a pro-am round of the AT&T National Golf Tournament at the Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Maryland, according to the caption of the photo, taken by the Associated Press.
The same collage was shared in 2018, purporting to show the four presidents celebrating the Fourth of July, which Snopes debunked similarly as false.
Trump golfed, spoke to troops this Thanksgiving
The president did play a round of golf this Thanksgiving, but he also spoke to the troops.
Trump spent some of Thanksgiving morning playing golf at his Trump National Golf Club in Virginia, Reuters reported. He remained in the Washington area this Thanksgiving; he'd spent several past ones at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.
That evening, he had a Thanksgiving video teleconference with members of the military.
“Well, I’m thrilled to be online with heroic members of the United States Military. Incredible people,” he said, according to a White House transcript of the call. “I want to wish you all a very happy Thanksgiving. We’re going to have a great year. We have a year coming up — the foundations are ready for one of the best years we’ve ever had.”
Last year, Trump did take a trip on Thanksgiving eve to visit troops in Afghanistan, CNN reported.
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Our rating: False
The images in the photo collage on Facebook purporting to show past presidents supporting troops on Thanksgiving eve — and Trump golfing instead — were not taken on or near Thanksgiving. This year, Trump both golfed and spoke to troops on the holiday. We rate this claim as FALSE because it was not supported by our research.
Our fact-check sources:
Getty Images, Jan. 13, 1996, Bill Clinton
U.S. Department of Defense, July 24, 2001, President Bush shakes hands with American soldiers during his visit to Camp Bondsteel
White House archives of President Barack Obama, May 25, 2014, "We Stand in Awe of Your Service": President Obama Makes a Surprise Trip to Thank Troops in Afghanistan
Associated Press, June 27, 2012, AT&T NATIONAL GOLF
Snopes, July 9, 2018, Does This Image Show How Four Different Presidents Celebrated the 4th of July?
Reuters, Nov. 26, Inching toward exit, Trump says he'll leave if Biden wins Electoral College vote
The Hill, Nov. 17, Trumps to spend Thanksgiving at White House instead of traveling to Florida
The White House, Nov. 27, Remarks by President Trump During Thanksgiving Video Teleconference with Members of the Military
CNN, Nov. 29, 2019, Inside Trump's sneak Thanksgiving trip to Afghanistan
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fact check: Collage of presidents' Thanksgiving eves is false
