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Viral image
stated on August 5, 2020 in a Facebook post:

Photo shows Bill Clinton among others not wearing a mask at John Lewis’ funeral.

False

This photo of Bill Clinton is five years old, not from John Lewis’ funeral

If your time is short

  • This photo was taken at the 2015 funeral of Rev. Jesse Jackson’s mother.
 
See the sources for this fact-check

The funeral of U.S. Rep. John Lewis drew several former American presidents, including Bill Clinton, who spoke during the service

Like Barack Obama and George W. Bush, Clinton did not wear a face covering as he addressed the people who had gathered June 30 to mourn the congressman and civil rights leader. But while he was seated in the pews of Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Clinton’s mouth and nose were covered by a mask. Others were also photographed wearing masks. 

A recent Facebook post shows a photo of Clinton among others not wearing masks. 

“July 30, 2020,” the post says. “Funeral NOT A MASK IN SITE IS ANYONE AWAKE YET.”

This post was flagged as part of Facebook’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Facebook.) 

That’s because the photo is five years old and was taken by a photojournalist named Heidi Heilbrunn. It shows Clinton sitting next to Rev. Jesse Jackson during a funeral service for Jackson’s mother at the Springfield Baptist Church in Greenville, S.C. 

Getty Images photos from Lewis’s funeral show people wearing masks. 

We rate this Facebook post False.

 
Our Sources

Facebook post, Aug. 5, 2020

C-SPAN, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton at John Lewis Funeral Service, July 30, 2020

People, Presidents Bush, Clinton & Obama reunite at funeral for civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis, July 30, 2020

Greenville News, Clinton attends Jackson funeral, Sept. 14, 2015

Getty Images photos of John Lewis’s funeral, July 30, 2020

This photo of Bill Clinton is five years old, not from John Lewis’ funeral

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
stated on January 7, 2026 a press briefing

stated on January 14, 2026 a statement

Social Media
stated on February 14, 2026 social media posts



stated on January 20, 2026 an op-ed


Donald Trump
stated on February 3, 2026 remarks in the Oval Office


Social Media
stated on February 8, 2026 social media posts





Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
stated on stated on November 17, 2025 in remarks at George Washington University:

Donald Trump
stated on February 2, 2026 an interview with Dan Bongino