Mastodawn

Did Trump just Photoshop some black letters onto a hand to make it seem like Kilmar is a gang member?

I am asking because Kilmar’s real tattoos follow the shape of his fingers, while the MS13 letters all face straight forward, as if they are placed on the photo by someone with really poor Photoshop skills. And also the MS13 letters are true black, while tattoos usually have a bluish tint — notice the color difference between the MS13 letters and his other tattoos.

Update: see my reply below…

Christopher Brown 5d ago

@randahl The photo is laughably fake.

Linh Pham 5d ago

@randahl Per a post on Bluesky, It was digitally altered and shared by W/S on the other social site: https://bsky.app/profile/paleofuture.bsky.social/post/3ln4nnegwbk2b

Matt Novak (@paleofuture.bsky.social)

Trump just posted a photo of himself holding up a piece of paper claiming to show tattoos on Kilmar Abrego Garcia that are related to MS-13. The paper he’s holding up has been digitally altered to add the characters MS-13. The claim comes from neo-Nazis on X who say the tattoos cover up “MS-13.”

Bluesky Social

Randahl Fink 5d ago

@qlp makes a lot more sense.

Chris Alemany🇺🇦🇨🇦🇪🇸5d ago

@randahl those are obvious fakes. 100%.
I could do the same thing in Apple Preview in about 30 seconds. (ie. no talent required, or shown here)

Why didn't the diffusion image generator algorithm match the ink color

Sharon 🤦🏾‍♀️ Persists 5d ago

@randahl I definitely wouldn't put it past him. They need to up their Photoshop skills if they intend on lying to us like this on a regular basis (which I'm sure they intend on doing).

CaliCarol 5d ago

At least the Bush Administration lied big. "WMDs ooga booga" to start a disastrous war. These clowns are lying to keep one innocent man in a concentration camp in El Salvador. Lo, how the mighty GOP has fallen.

crazyeddie 5d ago

@jawarajabbi @randahl Nah. They are lying to first, keep all of the innocents they've disappeared and second, to pave the way to disappear citizens. This guy just unfortunately drew that shortest straw to become the linchpin in their strategy.

Jan Wildeboer 😷

@randahl Obviously added to explain how to interpret the real tattoos as supposedly meaning MS13. Resist the urge to go down to their level of stupidity ;)

@jwildeboer @randahl - one reference: "The photo Trump showed included labels claiming to identify what the tattoos, each on one knuckle, represented. “M” was supposedly represented by a marijuana leaf, “S” was represented by a smiley face, “1” was represented by a cross, and “3” was a skull, according to the legend, with the latter two images possibly being to cover up the two numbers." - https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/white-house/3385269/trump-highlights-photo-abrego-garcia-tattoo-ms13-knuckles/

Trump highlights photo of Abrego Garcia’s knuckles with apparent MS-13 tattoos

MS-13 is an El Salvadoran-native gang that the U.S. has designated a terrorist organization.

Washington Examiner

cwicseolfor 5d ago

@jwildeboer @randahl This is what I thought but it’s equally possible that they know that and are bullshitting/ being deliberately vague as a flex to show they can mislead the public, OR that they are that incompetent and believe the label text is on his hand.

Jan Wildeboer 😷

@cwicseolfor @randahl You are wasting too much brain cycles on this thing, IMHO ;)

cwicseolfor 5d ago

@jwildeboer @randahl As someone living under it (with a lot of experience predicting abusers for survival reasons), it’s an area where understanding sometimes lets people manipulate them back and into a critical mass of public disapproval. Knowing THAT it’s bad clearly isn’t enough to stop people from allowing it, or we wouldn’t have seen only two thirds of eligible voters show up; we need as many levers as possible to move as many as possible into action.

Robert H 5d ago

@cwicseolfor @jwildeboer @randahl

If you believe you were successful at convincing millions you won an election you didn't, what's a photoshopped tattoo?

anyGould 5d ago

@jwildeboer @randahl Although I am tempted to run with "remember, the cross is a sign of gang membership according to the President", because that'll stir up some hornet nests...

ikuturso 5d ago

@jwildeboer @randahl it's not that hard of a mistake to make since the labeling is not that clear and the claim makes no sense at all either.

Señor Joe 5d ago

@jwildeboer @randahl I’m glad you said it. I don’t understand the need for this. It’s equivalent to saying something to “own the libs”. We sure showed them how dumb they are.

Obot 50549535 🌱5d ago

@randahl You gotta admit, the quality is better than when he took a Sharpie to a weather map.

Tom Shafer 5d ago

@randahl They didn't even try to wrap the characters around the curvature of each finger or match the type color to other tattoos. For Trump's cult, however, it'll pass their lack of discernment.

Randahl Fink 5d ago

@TomShafShafer “I love the poorly educated”, as he said.

i686-powered lia 5d ago

@randahl I mean yeah, obviously. Anyone with any kind of critical thinking skills or who has ever touched an image editing program can see that it's just a two minute job in Paint. It doesn't look real in the slightest.

The funny thing is that the intended audience isn't you and me – it's Trump supporters looking for confirmation that their preconceptions are "correct". They'll see this, and if it's debunked even a minute later, they'll either never hear or consider it "liberal damage control".

GJ Groothedde 🇪🇺5d ago

@randahl Photoshop if I ever saw one. Very, VERY sloppy photoshop.

kim wulff 5d ago

Morgane deSiv 5d ago

@randahl Actually it seems to be the "translation" of the tattoos.
Below each tattoo you have the alt-text, and above you have the translation (Marijuana = M, Smiley = S, Cross = 1, Skull = 3???).
It's still complete bullshit, just, for once Trump is slightly more subtle than what we're used to.

nobhillsal 🥑5d ago

@MorganedeSiv @randahl not agreeing with their logic, but the Spanish word for skull starts with the letter C, "calavera"

nobhillsal 🥑5d ago

@MorganedeSiv @randahl following that logic assuming they are Catholic, the cross would be 3 for the Trinity (totally Catholic Holy Saturday thought)

@nobhillsal @MorganedeSiv If I'm reading it right, the supposed "translation" suggests that the cross and skull are masking the physical shape of the respective numbers.

It's dumb, but it's still not what @randahl presented it as, and I'm getting frustrated with his mis-framing of things.

@nobhillsal @MorganedeSiv What I do think is happening here is that someone made that picture to suggest the interpretation, and Trump is stupid enough to think it was a real picture exactly as shown.

Randahl Fink 5d ago

@solitha that is my interpretation too. I will update the post.
@nobhillsal @MorganedeSiv

nobhillsal 🥑5d ago

@solitha @MorganedeSiv @randahl I read it that way too but don't see how there was a 3 in the skull which is how I got to the letter "c," I also don't see a gang tattoo of a "1" being a straight line instead of stylized which lead me to a religious idea of one true God, which doesn't work for a cross because to a Catholic the cross is the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

@nobhillsal Looking for the sense in a conspiracy theory is not great for long-term mental health 😀

@MorganedeSiv @randahl

nobhillsal 🥑5d ago

@solitha @MorganedeSiv @randahl very good reminder lol

RightSprung will not comply 5d ago

That damn sharpie returns!

nocci [cyberpunk'd]5d ago

@randahl

At least no AI b$ but yes, this "tattoo" is made up and pure propaganda.

@randahl
It is not required to be believed only to set up the next con.

Eric Schutte 5d ago

@randahl
Yes he did. That is not the problem. Problem is that they don’t care.
His followers also don’t care. For them he is a gang member, or not, he is gone now so they do not care. They do not need any proof. The fake tattoo is for the other people so they can get angry.
#removeTrump #saveDemocracy #fightFascism

Aad Schippers 🇪🇺 🍋5d ago

@randahl https://reportersonline.eu/trump-day-89-supreme-court-blocks-new-deportation-attempt-trump-posts-manipulated-photo-50000-civil-servants-replaced-by-party-loyalists-afghan-refugees-sent-back-attack-on-harvard-was/

Trump day 89: Supreme Court blocks new deportation attempt, Trump posts manipulated photo, 50,000 civil servants replaced by party loyalists, Afghan refugees sent back, attack on Harvard was ‘mistake’ & more - Reporters Online

New decisions from Trump, and new fallout. An overview of day 89.

Reporters Online

PSY5 📚 🎼 ☸️ 🌱 💻5d ago

@randahl It's so crude, it should be a laugh riot, but there's a life behind it and it's not funny at all.

nilsmielke ⁂5d ago

@randahl Found proof, that Donald *himself* is a member of MS-13.
What now?

Randahl Fink 5d ago

@nilsmielke LOL.

nilsmielke ⁂5d ago

@randahl That image is also conclusive proof, that the man has no taste, whatsoever. That’s Comic Sans, for heaven’s sake!1!!

Justbeep 5d ago

@nilsmielke
@randahl
Looks like some guy with tiny hands proudly presents that someone managed to remove almost all tattoos to protect him from deportation 🧐

normis 😈5d ago

I think they are not hiding that the text is added onto the image, it's meant to illustrate meaning of the symbols on the fingers. Not sure if their interpretation makes any sense, of course

Djembro, RO, supports 🇺🇦🇬🇪5d ago

@randahl
I don’t think the overt M, S, 1, 3 characters are meant to be seen as being part of the tattoo. Rather, someone added them to indicate what each part of the tattoo means.
Marijuana -> M
Smile -> S
Cross -> 1
Skull -> 3
Note that the x’s for eyes in the smile probably mean death. I’m guessing the cross means 1 due to vertical similarity. I can’t read the word under the skull, so I’m not sure why it means 3. The thing that stands out to me are the 3 black spots representing eyes & nose.

Djembro, RO, supports 🇺🇦🇬🇪5d ago

@randahl
I’m not convinced it’s an MS-13 tattoo or even belongs to Mr. Ábrego García. All I know is that the USA needs to get him back home to his family.

crazyeddie 5d ago

@djembro @randahl Yeah, I'm just now realizing everyone thinks the MS13 text and the tiny little text labels under each one are being claimed as part of the tattoo. I'm actually shocked at that. Seems very silly to me.

Maybe it does meas MS13. I don't fucking know. If they've got evidence on the guy just give him due process and be done with it!! It's cheaper, it's the right thing to do, and what the fuck are we liberals going to cry about then?? Eh? Something else, that's what. F MS13.

The Sleight Doctor 🃏5d ago

@randahl All my tats are true black, but you have to specifically ask your artist for these sorts of carbon-based inks that aren't pigments and won't fade to a bluish/greenish tint.

A lot of late 90s "tribal" was done using such inks, which are uniquely unresponsive to laser treatment. You'd need a few rounds of treatment *and* a cover-up tat over the top. Marshall Mathers is one celebrity whose tats are all true black.

Not disagreeing with you here, just adding my knowledge to the discussion!

The Sleight Doctor 🃏5d ago

@randahl Oh, I should add that Trump's pic still looks like a bad Photoshop job regardless of my caveat! But that's mainly because the letters don't map to the contours of his fingers, not because of the black colour. 🤷‍♂️

Randahl Fink 5d ago

@ApostateEnglishman I agree.

Randahl Fink 5d ago

@ApostateEnglishman very interesting. I did not know, that true black was possible.

Thank you.

The Sleight Doctor 🃏5d ago

@randahl Dead dinosaurs, basically. Try bleaching coal! 😉

But you are still correct, this is an obvious Photoshop job. Be Interesting to get some experts on this sort of digital fakery to analyze the image, because there are usally artifacts that show up.

@randahl everyone else has already said this, but the OP hasn't updated yet: given the words also added below tattoos, these are likely annotations rather than being intended to look like they're actually on the hand.

...and it's irrelevant, because even if he had a confession tattooed to his forehead, he'd still be legally entitled to due process.

Randahl Fink 5d ago

@HunterZ well said.

Full Metal Accountant 5d ago

@randahl
If that's how they're identifying gang members, I hope they don't look too hard at their Starbucks barista's tats.

^[[200~Michael 5d ago

@randahl "Hung with Epstein, pissed on sex workers while married to an illegal immigrant, etc etc..."

@randahl Must have been the same Photoshop guy who drew this

Guill.Jones, Honorary Canadian 5d ago

@randahl
I call fascist criminal Trump shenanigans!

Daragh Ó Briain 5d ago

@randahl @glynmoody I am impressed the tattooist could get Calibri font just right.

Jason Bellew,💻🤠🏳️‍🌈🐻‍❄️🖖🏻5d ago

@randahl considering that font for MS13 above the picture matches the "finger tattoo" sure this proves it.