FACT CHECK: Were The Georgia Guidestones Replaced With A Donald Trump Monument?
An image shared on Facebook purportedly shows a golden bust of former President Donald Trump erected in place of the recently-destroyed Georgia Guidestones.
Verdict: False
This image is digitally altered. There is no evidence to suggest the Georgia Guidestones have been replaced by any type of monument at this time.
Fact Check:
The Georgia Guidestones, a group of interconnected granite slabs inscribed with “commandment-like inscriptions” located in Eberton, Georgia, were partially destroyed by an explosion in the early hours of July 6, according to The Economist. What remained of the monument was demolished later the same day for “safety reasons,” NBC News reported.
An image shared on Facebook appears to show a golden bust of Trump erected in place of the destroyed monument. “That new Georgia Guidestone is PERFECTO!!!” reads text included in the image.
The image is digitally fabricated. The picture of the same bust can be found for sale on Faces of History, a website that sells 3D printed sculptures of historical figures. A spokesperson for the website told Check Your Fact in an email that the sculpture was photoshopped into the image without the company’s permission.
A reverse image search reveals the background of the image was taken from a photo posted to Flickr in 2010 of the Georgia Guidestones. “Located atop the highest point in Elbert County, Georgia overlooking GA Hwy 77 just south of the Hart-Elbert County line,” reads the Flickr photo’s caption. “The stones, since being erected in 1980, have been shrouded in mystery.”
There are no credible news reports to suggest a new statue has been erected where the Georgia Guidestones once stood. (RELATED: Did The New York Times Publish An Article About Pfizer’s Ceo Vowing To Rebuild The Georgia Guidestones?)
This is not the first time misinformation about the monument has spread online. Check Your Fact recently debunked an image showing an alleged New York Times article about Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla vowing to rebuild the Georgia Guidestones.