An image shared on Facebook allegedly shows actor Sylvester Stallone wearing a t-shirt with anti-Joe Biden and anti-Anthony Fauci messaging on it.

Verdict: False

The image has been digitally altered. In the original image, Stallone is wearing a plain black t-shirt.

Fact Check: 

Social media users recently shared a picture of Stallone purportedly wearing a shirt criticizing Biden, the president and Fauci, the White House chief medical adviser. The alleged writing on the t-shirt reads, “There are 4 useless things in this world. A woke person, COVID vaccine, Anthony Fauci & Joe Biden.”

A reverse image search found that the original image dates back to June 28, 2018 and can be found on Shutterstock. The image shows Stallone walking around Los Angeles in a plain black t-shirt with no visible messaging. Other photos on Shutterstock that were taken the same day also show him walking around the city in the unadorned, black t-shirt.

COVID-19 first emerged in late 2019, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Biden announced his candidacy for president in April 2019, while Fauci was appointed to the White House Coronavirus Task Force in January 2020, more than a year after the image of Stallone was taken. The Food and Drug Administration authorized the first COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use in December 2020.

Additionally, Check Your Fact found no credible reports of Stallone ever wearing such a t-shirt. (RELATED: Does This Image Show Chris Evans Wearing A ‘Keep America Trumpless’ Shirt?)

This isn’t the first time social media users have doctored a picture of Stallone to include a political message on his t-shirt. Check Your Fact previously debunked a claim in November 2021 that he wore a pro-Donald Trump t-shirt, seemingly using the same original image.