Fact check: Image altered to show George W. Bush holding phone upside down

The claim: Photo shows George W. Bush holding a phone the wrong way

Earlier this year, former President George W. Bush – known for his occasional gaffes – mistakenly called the Iraq invasion unjustified during remarks in May about the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

Some social media users are now sharing a photo they claim shows another Bush slip-up. An Oct. 3 Instagram post purports to show Bush holding a corded phone to his ear, but with the earpiece by his mouth.

The post garnered more than 1,300 likes in four days.

"If u ever feel u suck at life, just remember George Bush took a photo holding a phone upside down," reads text included in the image.

Some social media users believed the image was real.

"I think bush purposely acted stupid," one user commented. "Easier to get away with stuff if people dont think you have guile."

But the image is altered. The original photo, taken by a White House photographer, shows Bush holding the phone properly.

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USA TODAY reached out to the user who shared the claim for comment.

Image is altered

The original photo of Bush was captured March 7, 2003, by White House photographer Eric Draper during a call with then-British Prime Minister Tony Blair. The photo was used by media outlets at the time.

In the original photo, Bush can be seen talking on a telephone held the correct way. Details that match between the photos, such as Bush's hair, tie and positioning, and the arrangement of frames behind him, show the altered image is based on the Blair call photo.

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The altered image is a zoomed-in version of the original and also appears to show Blair edited into one of the gold frames.  The altered image also adds a watermark of the Instagram handle @davie_dav, an account known for posting viral memes.

Our rating: Altered

Based on our research, we rate ALTERED an image purporting to show Bush holding a phone the wrong way. A photo of Bush from a call with Blair in March 2003 was edited to make the phone in the image appear upside down.

Our fact-check sources:

• USA TODAY, May 19, Gaffe: George W. Bush condemns Putin's 'brutal, unjustified invasion of Iraq,' meaning Ukraine

• Slate, Jan. 12, 2009, W.’s Greatest Hits

• United Press International, accessed Oct. 6, President George W. Bush talks to British Prime Minister Tony Blair from the Oval Office

• New York Times, March 8, 2003, Bush girds for war in solitude, aides say

• User @davie_dave, accessed Oct. 11, Instagram profile

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fact check: Image altered to show George Bush holding reversed phone