Fact Check : White House Lights Out With Trump In Bunker?

The Internet is trolling Trump with this infamous picture of a White House with its lights out – virtually blacked out – while he sheltered in his bunker.

Let’s take a look at the infamous White House lights out picture, and find out if it’s genuine!

 

White House Lights Out With Trump In Bunker?

This is the infamous White House lights out photo that everyone has been sharing on social media. It even got picked up and used by some websites.

It shows a completely dark White House with its lights out, on the same night US President Donald Trump, his wife Melania and their son, Barron, were taken to the White House bunker.

 

White House Lights Out With Trump In Bunker : The Facts

Now, here are the facts about this picture, and news reports of the White House with its lights out.

Fact #1 : That White House Lights Out Photo Is Fake

The photo showing a completely dark White House is fake. According to AP, it was edited from this original Getty image that was posted on 6 December 2015.

This photo was artificially darkened, and the lit lantern removed, to create the image of a completely dark White House with its lights out.

WASHINGTON, DC – DECEMBER 06: The White House is shown at dusk December 6, 2015 in Washington, DC. U.S. President Barack Obama is scheduled to address the nation this evening from the Oval Office on his plans to battle the threat of terror attacks and defeating ISIL in the wake of last week’s attack in San Bernardino, California. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

However, we believe that it was more likely to have been edited from a screenshot from a video from the time the White House lit up in LGBT colours on 27 June 2015.

Fact #2 : White House Lights Goes Off Every Night

According to Kaitlan Collins who does many late night photography sessions at the White House, and White House spokesperson Hogan Gidley, the White House lights go out at about 11 PM almost every night.

Fact #3 : Actual Photos Of White House That Night

Here are photos of the White House that were taken that night. They show that while the interior lights were turned off, the exterior lights were still on. At around 11 PM, the exterior lights were turned off.

Fact #4 : Trump Did Retreat To White House Bunker

Earlier claims that protestors breached the White House are false. But they concerned the Secret Service so much that Donald Trump, his wife Melania and son, Barron were moved to the White House bunker for about an hour.

This fake picture is part of a slew of similar fake news about the George Floyd protests in the US :

So beware of similar fake posts, because they appear to be part of disinformation campaigns.

 

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