For months, social media users have shared an image they claim shows U.S. President Donald Trump standing on “toe pads” to stop himself from falling over.
The claim spread primarily on X, where multiple posts with the image garnered millions of views and thousands of likes.
However, the origin of the image was unknown, including whether it was a genuine photo or product of digital editing. If it was real, it was unclear if the object was toe pads, and there was no demonstrable evidence Trump was using it to stop himself from falling forward.
A reverse image search on Google revealed the image dated back to late December 2023 when other X users posted it alongside similar claims.
Several artificial intelligence (AI) detection tools — IsItAI?, Hive Moderation and SightEngine — found it was highly unlikely the photo was produced using AI. In fact, the Mar-a-Lago geotag in the bottom right corner of the image suggested it first appeared as an Instagram story, which only stays live for a day, and therefore it was not possible to trace the photo back to the original poster.
Snopes looked through Getty Images’ photos of Trump published in the days surrounding the claim’s initial appearance in December 2023, like those from a Dec. 2 campaign event in Iowa. Those images, however, did not show Trump standing with support under his toes or feet.
Trump speaking at a Commit to Caucus rally held at Whiskey River on Dec. 2, 2023, in Ankeny, Iowa. (Getty Images)
There were numerous other theories circulating on social media regarding the object seen in the image. However, all of these ideas were also based on pure speculation and could not be verified.
For examples, some people claimed the item was a gaffer’s sandbag; that Trump was using it to mark his position without having to look down, or that he was standing on the object to create a better camera shot by aligning his stance with objects in the background. Some users suggested Trump was using the item as a foot pedal to control a teleprompter, while others said it may help correct his posture by preventing him from leaning forward, implying he could be dealing with symptoms of frontotemporal dementia.
Responding to an October 2024 request for comment via email, a Trump campaign spokesperson simply said “this is false,” although it was unclear which element of the claim they were referring to. We asked them to provide clarification and will update this article if they issue another response.
