FACT CHECK: Viral Image Of Lauren Boebert And Ted Cruz Is Altered
An image shared on Facebook purportedly shows Colorado Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert wearing a “$45” hat and posing with Republican Texas Sen. Ted Cruz.
Verdict: False
The photo is digitally altered. A spokesperson for Boebert confirmed the image is false.
Fact Check:
Boebert recently became the subject of media headlines after appearing at a Christian conference and jokingly stating that Jesus did not have enough AR-15 rifles to “keep his government from killing him,” according to The Hill.
An alleged image of her shared on Facebook is also drawing attention. The image appears to show Boebert wearing a red “$45” hat while posing with Cruz, who she is touching below the waist.
The photo is digitally altered. A reverse image search reveals an unedited version of the image first appeared on Boebert’s verified personal Twitter account in January 2021. Notably, in this image Boebert is wearing a red “45” hat and is not touching Cruz below the belt.
Ted Cruz is an American hero and patriot! On January 6, we’re both going to be fighting for freedom! pic.twitter.com/cwyBfJEhex
— Lauren Boebert (@laurenboebert) January 2, 2021
“Ted Cruz is an American hero and patriot!” the caption reads. “On January 6, we’re both going to be fighting for freedom!”
“Yes, its fake,” said a Boebert spokesperson in an email to Check Your Fact when asked about the image shared on Facebook. (RELATED: No, Lauren Boebert Did Not Post A Tweet Blaming Joe Biden For Severe Weather In New York City)
The altered image appears to stem from a post by Twitter user @PaulLahticks, an account that frequently shares memes. The account’s username is visible in the bottom right corner of the edited picture.
BREAKING: file photo of Ted Cruz and Lauren Boebert’s first meeting has been released.
(And she wears her price tag on her hat.) pic.twitter.com/ZqKlCHID3k
— Paul Lahticks (@PaulLahticks) June 15, 2022
“BREAKING: file photo of Ted Cruz and Lauren Boebert’s first meeting has been released. (And she wears her price tag on her hat.),” reads the tweet’s caption.
