Fox News Broadcasts Outdated Footage of Trump Salute, Concealing Golf Hat at Military Ceremony
The conservative network Fox News has come under scrutiny for using old video footage of former President Donald Trump during reports about a recent military ceremony, effectively hiding from viewers that Trump wore a golf hat throughout the solemn event. The incident occurred during coverage of a dignified transfer at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware on Saturday, where Trump saluted six flag-draped transfer cases containing the remains of US Army Reserve soldiers killed in Kuwait.
Misleading Broadcasts and Network Corrections
On Saturday afternoon, Fox News initially aired correct footage showing Trump wearing his distinctive white hat while saluting alongside First Lady Melania Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Second Lady Usha Vance, and other officials. However, less than an hour later, when a Fox News host described the president's visit to the base, viewers were shown old video from a similar ceremony in December where Trump had not worn a hat while saluting troops who died in Syria.
This same December video, featuring Trump saluting with his hair blowing in the wind, was used in at least two additional Fox broadcasts on Sunday morning. During the 6:18 AM ET segment of "Fox & Friends," the president's favorite morning show, hosts transitioned from a lighthearted discussion about potential US action in Cuba to solemnly reporting on the dignified transfer ceremony. As they spoke, Fox displayed the December footage with an on-screen label incorrectly stating it was recorded on Saturday.
Over three hours later, the same host acknowledged on-air: "A mistake made earlier on our program: during our coverage of yesterday's dignified transfer, we inadvertently aired video from an older dignified transfer instead of the ceremony that took place yesterday. We deeply regret the error."
Multiple Instances and Subsequent Editing
The misleading video appeared at least once more on another Fox program, "Fox News Sunday," where a host described Trump "pausing for a moment Saturday afternoon to offer a final salute" while viewers again saw the December ceremony footage with incorrect on-screen graphics labeling it as Saturday's event.
After social media critics, including an X account dedicated to chronicling "Bad Fox Graphics" and anti-Trump outlets The Bulwark and MeidasTouch, documented the misleading use of old footage, Fox News used parts of the actual Saturday video in a subsequent report. However, this footage was edited to show only the flag-draped transfer cases, completely omitting any images of Trump wearing his hat.
Political Context and Historical Precedents
The mislabeled December video remains on the Fox News website as of Sunday, still incorrectly described as having been recorded on Saturday. Meanwhile, Trump was photographed on Sunday wearing the same white hat while golfing in Florida. The hat features gold "USA" letters on the front and embroidered numbers "45" and "47" on the sides, commemorating Trump's terms as the 45th and 47th president, and is available for purchase through the Trump Store online.
Both Trump and Fox News producers are acutely aware that behavior perceived as undignified during ceremonies honoring US war dead can carry significant political consequences. In 2021, when President Joe Biden was captured on camera checking his watch at the conclusion of a dignified transfer ceremony for troops killed in Afghanistan, the moment quickly went viral online. Fox News repeatedly aired the footage, accompanied by angry commentary from then-host Pete Hegseth, and it eventually appeared in a 2024 Trump campaign advertisement.
The incident highlights ongoing concerns about media ethics and accuracy in political reporting, particularly regarding coverage of solemn military ceremonies and presidential conduct during moments of national mourning.
