Fact Check: This Is an Authentic Picture of Trump Wearing Military Garb in 1964. Here's How We Know

Alex Kasprak

3 June 2024 at 7:26 pm·2-min read

Claim:

An authentic photograph shows a young Donald Trump wearing military attire in 1964, prior to his receiving several draft deferments during the Vietnam War military draft.

Rating:

In early June 2024, a picture of former U.S. President Donald Trump in formal military attire was shared on several social media platforms with the text "Donald Trump plays soldier before dodging Vietnam War draft, 1964." A post by the X account Creepy.org on June 2, 2024, for example, garnered more than 265 thousand views at the time of this reporting:

The pictures authentically show the former president wearing the uniform of the New York Military Academy — a private boarding school in Cornwall, New York that Trump attended for high school — at his 1964 graduation ceremony. Trump himself shared this image to his own Facebook page in 2013 with the caption "Myself with mother and father at New York Military Academy. See, I can be very military. High rank!"

This uniform and the medals adorning it have nothing to do with service in the United States Armed Forces. At least two of the medals Trump had been awarded, according to New York Military Academy yearbook pages published by the Times-Herald Record, were the "neatness and order" metal — awarded to him in both 1960 and 1961:

(Times Herald-Record)

Following Trump's graduation from the New York Military Academy, he attended Fordham University in New York City before transferring to the University of Pennsylvania. During that time period, he received four deferments from the Vietnam draft. He was permanently excluded from the draft on his fifth and final deferment in 1972, resulting from a bone spur diagnosis.

Because the photo authentically shows Trump in military garb at a well-documented 1964 high school graduation and originates, at least in large part, from Trump himself, the claim is True.

Previously, Snopes fact-checked an AI-generated image purporting to show Trump in a military uniform leading a platoon of soldiers.

Sources:

Eder, Steve, and Dave Philipps. "Donald Trump's Draft Deferments: Four for College, One for Bad Feet." The New York Times, 2 Aug. 2016. NYTimes.com, https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/02/us/politics/donald-trump-draft-record.html.

"PHOTO GALLERY: Trump's Time at New York Military Academy." Times Herald-Record, https://www.recordonline.com/picture-gallery/news/2016/04/15/photo-gallery-trump-s-time-at/721199007/. Accessed 3 June 2024.

Trump, Donald. "#TBT Myself with Mother and Father at New York Military Academy. See, I Can Be Very Military. High Rank!" Facebook: Donald J. Trump (Operated by DONALD J. TRUMP FOR PRESIDENT 2024, INC.), 15 Aug. 2013, https://www.facebook.com/DonaldTrump/photos/a.488852220724/10153134068950725/?type=3.

OK! Magazine
Good Morning Britain halted for breaking news announcement as Susanna Reid stops ITV show
Good Morning Britain presenters Susanna Reid and Ed Balls were forced to 'interrupt' the ITV show on Wednesday to make a "breaking news" announcement for viewers
The Telegraph
France is about to bring the EU to the brink of collapse
It is a terrifying showdown, an epic moment of truth that threatens to blow up the EU, trigger another Eurozone crisis and, just three days into his prime ministership, throw Sir Keir Starmer’s immigration and trade plans into disarray. In two weeks’ time, France will have either elected the most radical Right-wing populist government ever to control a nuclear power, opted for a rabidly anti-capitalist, anti-Western, far-Left coalition, or proved itself to be entirely ungovernable.
The Daily Beast
Supreme Court Sends Out an Ominous Sign
With just a few days left in the law term and more than 20 rulings still to be issued, the Supreme Court once again left Americans on tenterhooks Thursday when it released just four opinions, not including its most eagerly awaited. The justices, three of whom were appointed by Donald Trump, are still weighing Trump’s bid to be granted king-like immunity shielding him from prosecution for his role in the attempted coup on Jan. 6, 2021. Each day that passes without a ruling sets prosecutors back i
The Telegraph
Who won the BBC Question Time election special? Our writers have their say
The BBC Question Time debate was unique in giving the main leaders a lengthy period to answer questions – half an hour each to be exact.
HuffPost
Confused Trump Forgets Names Again And Again And Again In Brutal Supercut Video
The former president's cognition is under the microscope after a series of alarming reports.
The Telegraph
Starmer just made his first major misstep – bigger shocks lie ahead
It has taken over three weeks, but Sir Keir Starmer just made his first major misstep of the election campaign.
Business Insider
Satellite images capture Russia's Black Sea Fleet running from its base in Crimea as Ukraine hit it with missiles and exploding drones
Ukraine has waged a highly effective asymmetric-warfare campaign against the Black Sea Fleet, destroying and damaging a number of Russian warships.
AFP
Raped by Russian soldiers, Ukraine women speak out to erase stigma
When invading Russian troops advanced towards Kyiv and the first explosions rang out in the suburbs, Daria Zymenko took refuge in Gavronshchyna, her parents' village near the Ukrainian capital.- Thousands of victims - Since Russia invaded in February 2022, Ukrainian authorities say they have documented over 300 cases of sexual violence perpetrated by the Russian troops.
Bloomberg
Putin’s Hybrid War Opens a Second Front on NATO’s Eastern Border
(Bloomberg) -- Shortly after midnight, several masked men in boats began removing orange navigational aids on the Narva River that separates Estonia from Russia — a watercourse which demarcates the extent of NATO’s reach.Most Read from BloombergCar Dealerships Across US Halt Services After CyberattackCDK Tells Car Dealers Their Systems Likely Offline Several DaysPutin’s Hybrid War Opens a Second Front on NATO’s Eastern BorderHedge Fund Talent Schools Are Looking for the Perfect TraderStocks Show
HuffPost
Dr. Anthony Fauci Recalls Surprising Aftermath Of Correcting Donald Trump On Live TV
The infectious disease expert said the then-president was fixated on one thing during the early days of the coronavirus pandemic.
HuffPost
Trump's Attempt To Mock Biden's Cognition Backfires When He Gets The Term Wrong
OOPS! The former president botched a key phrase as he tried to attack his rival.
Euronews
EU agrees new sanctions on Russia, targeting LNG for the first time
Belgium, France and Spain are the main entry points for Russian LNG.
The Telegraph
Has the EU finally abandoned all pretence of being democratic?
The latest act in the EU’s long-running farce concerning Central European member states was played out on Monday. The Austrian environment minister, Leonore Gewessler of the Green party, at the very last moment abandoned her coalition government’s agreed position and voted to approve the EU’s “nature restoration law”, the flagship policy of the EU’s Green Deal. This aims to make the bloc carbon-neutral by 2050.
CNN
Putin and Kim seen laughing in Russian-made limousine after inking mutual defense pact
Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un were seen laughing as they took turns to drive each other around in a Russian-built limousine during Putin’s first visit to Pyongyang in 24 years.
The Telegraph
Why Ukraine’s most dangerous moment may have passed - Ukraine: The Latest, Podcast
Today, we bring you the news from Ukraine, continuing analysing Vladimir Putin’s state visit to North Korea and we talk to Security Analyst Jimmy Rushton in Kyiv on the situation on the front line and Ukrainian strategy for the year ahead.
The Telegraph
Desperation is making Putin even more dangerous
There is nothing “peaceful” about the defence pact that Vladimir Putin signed yesterday with his North Korean counterpart, Kim Jong-un. On the contrary, the comprehensive strategic partnership agreed between the two leaders during the Russian president’s visit to Pyongyang demonstrates the deepening bond between two rogue states whose main aim is to forge a new “axis of evil” to confront the West.
CNN
Ukraine pouring troops into contested Kharkiv region
Moscow’s military launched a surprise offensive targeting the North East of Ukraine earlier this year, destroying a key town and gaining a foothold not far from the second largest city, Kharkiv. But CNN’s Fred Pleitgen reports, the Ukrainians now say they are back on the offensive.
Sky News
Filipino soldiers fight off 'armed' Chinese coastguard with 'bare hands' in disputed South China Sea
Filipino soldiers used their "bare hands" to fight off armed Chinese coastguard in the disputed South China Sea, a Philippine military chief has said. General Romeo Brawner Jr, head of the Philippine armed forces, accused Chinese personnel of boarding more than eight motorboats and repeatedly ramming, then boarding, two inflatable vessels on Monday. Comparing the act to piracy, he said the Chinese had bladed weapons and tried to prevent the transfer of food, firearms and other supplies to a Philippine territorial outpost in the disputed area of the Second Thomas Shoal.
The Independent
Michael Gove blames Liz Truss for blue wall collapse as Tories face wipeout
Michael Gove blamed the Tories’ general election struggles on Ms Truss and her September 2022 mini-budget
HuffPost
'Total Fiction': CNN Fact-Checker Exposes 30 Obvious Lies In New Trump Speech
Daniel Dale spots dozens of overt falsehoods at the former president's latest rally.

Sunak jeered by Question Time audience

Fact Check: This Is an Authentic Picture of Trump Wearing Military Garb in 1964. Here's How We Know

Sources:

Latest stories

Good Morning Britain halted for breaking news announcement as Susanna Reid stops ITV show

France is about to bring the EU to the brink of collapse

Supreme Court Sends Out an Ominous Sign

Who won the BBC Question Time election special? Our writers have their say

Confused Trump Forgets Names Again And Again And Again In Brutal Supercut Video

Starmer just made his first major misstep – bigger shocks lie ahead

Satellite images capture Russia's Black Sea Fleet running from its base in Crimea as Ukraine hit it with missiles and exploding drones

Raped by Russian soldiers, Ukraine women speak out to erase stigma

Putin’s Hybrid War Opens a Second Front on NATO’s Eastern Border

Dr. Anthony Fauci Recalls Surprising Aftermath Of Correcting Donald Trump On Live TV

Trump's Attempt To Mock Biden's Cognition Backfires When He Gets The Term Wrong

EU agrees new sanctions on Russia, targeting LNG for the first time

Has the EU finally abandoned all pretence of being democratic?

Putin and Kim seen laughing in Russian-made limousine after inking mutual defense pact

Why Ukraine’s most dangerous moment may have passed - Ukraine: The Latest, Podcast

Desperation is making Putin even more dangerous

Ukraine pouring troops into contested Kharkiv region

Filipino soldiers fight off 'armed' Chinese coastguard with 'bare hands' in disputed South China Sea

Michael Gove blames Liz Truss for blue wall collapse as Tories face wipeout

'Total Fiction': CNN Fact-Checker Exposes 30 Obvious Lies In New Trump Speech