Authors
Kushel HM is a mechanical engineer-turned-journalist, who loves all things football, tennis and films. He was with the news desk at the Hindustan Times, Mumbai, before joining Newschecker.
Pankaj Menon is a fact-checker based out of Delhi who enjoys ‘digital sleuthing’ and calling out misinformation. He has completed his MA in International Relations from Madras University and has worked with organisations like NDTV, Times Now and Deccan Chronicle online in the past.
Claim
Hindu priest Harish Brahmbhatt chants Vedic hymns at the White House on the invitation of US President-elect Donald Trump.
The archived version of the post can be seen here.
Fact
The Republican candidate won in the US presidential election against his Democratic opponent, Kamala Harris, on November 5, however, Trump will return to the White House for a second term in office only after the official inauguration, scheduled for January 20, 2025, indicating that the viral image is old.
We then ran a keyword search for “Trump Brahmbhatt White House”, which led us to this NDTV report, dated May 8, 2020, stating that the sacred Vedic Shanti Path or peace prayer was recited by Pujari Harish Brahmbhatt from the BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in New Jersey, who joined religious leaders from other faiths offering prayers on the occasion of the National Day of Prayer Service, in the Rose Garden of the White House. A similar News18 report on the event, dated May 8, 2020, can be seen here.
We came across the viral image on stock photo agency Alamy, uploaded on May 7, 2020. “President Donald J. Trump listens as Pujari Harish Brahmbhatt, B.A.P.S. Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Robbinsville, delivers remarks during the White House National Day of Prayer Service Thursday, May 7, 2020, in the Rose Garden of the White House,” read the caption. Similar photos of the event, uploaded by Getty Images and Shutterstock, confirm that the viral image is from 2020.
Result: Missing Context
Source
NDTV report, May 7, 2020
News18 report, May 8, 2020
Alamy photo
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Authors
Kushel HM is a mechanical engineer-turned-journalist, who loves all things football, tennis and films. He was with the news desk at the Hindustan Times, Mumbai, before joining Newschecker.
Pankaj Menon is a fact-checker based out of Delhi who enjoys ‘digital sleuthing’ and calling out misinformation. He has completed his MA in International Relations from Madras University and has worked with organisations like NDTV, Times Now and Deccan Chronicle online in the past.
