FACT CHECK: Does This Image Show Eric Trump Holding A Shovel Backwards?

An image shared on Twitter purportedly shows Eric Trump holding a shovel backwards at an event attended by other members of his family.

Eric Trump is trending so: this right here, rent free pic.twitter.com/QsN3VBr6nD

— cacklelantern (@tamburlaine02) October 19, 2021

Verdict: False

The picture has been digitally manipulated to make it look like Eric Trump was holding the shovel backwards.

Fact Check

The picture of Eric Trump allegedly holding a shovel backwards has been widely shared on social media in recent days. One tweet featuring the photo, which also includes former President Donald Trump and children Donald Trump Jr. and Ivanka Trump, captioned it: “Eric Trump is trending so: this right here, rent free.”

The photo, however, has been photoshopped, a comparison to the original version of it revealed. The unaltered picture, taken by Paul Morigi for WireImage in 2014, depicts Eric Trump holding the shovel with the blade toward the floor, like his father and siblings were. (RELATED: Did Eric Trump Announce He Would Reveal Classified Information That Would Remove Joe Biden From Office?)

“Trump family members (L to R) Eric Trump, Donald Trump Jr., Donald Trump and Ivanka Trump break ground at the Trump International Hotel Washington, D.C Groundbreaking Ceremony at Old Post Office on July 23, 2014 in Washington, DC,” reads the caption of the original photo.

Eric Trump also can be seen holding the shovel correctly in other photos taken for UPI and WireImage at the groundbreaking ceremony. A Trump Hotels press release from July 2014 described the groundbreaking ceremony as marking the start of a $200 million redevelopment of the Old Post Office building in Washington, D.C.

There have been reports in recent months that the Trump Organization is selling the lease to the Old Post Office building.

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