Old photo mischaracterized as showing Tulsi Gabbard’s swearing-in as national intelligence director

Attorney General Pam Bondi swore in Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard shortly after the U.S. Senate confirmed Gabbard for the job Feb. 12, and President Donald Trump spoke at the White House occasion. 

But an image of Gabbard and Trump embracing that’s spreading on social media doesn’t show the event. 

“PHOTO: Tulsi Gabbard celebrates her swearing in as director of national intelligence by inhaling Donald Trump’s rotten egg and ammonia breath while he tongues her nostril like Jabba the Hutt licking frosting off a beater,” a screenshot of an X post said.

A Facebook post sharing the screenshot was flagged as part of Meta’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram and Threads.)

The image, which shows Trump leaning in to hug Gabbard, is authentic, but the X post came from an Instagram account that posts jokes. 

The photo was taken in October 2024, when Gabbard announced at a Trump campaign event that she was joining the Republican Party.

“Former Hawaii Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard announced she is joining the Republican party Tuesday night,” a Reuters caption of the photo said. “The gesture surprised Trump who embraced her on stage shortly after she made the announcement.”

At the October event, Gabbard wore red. At her Feb. 12 swearing-in, she wore black. Trump, donned a red tie in October and wore a blue tie at the swearing-in. 

We rate claims the October photo shows Gabbard’s swearing-in as director of national intelligence False.