On the Fourth of July, Donald Trump tweeted that “Our Country is doing GREAT!” along with a video discussing the adoption of the Declaration of Independence and some festive pictures from the celebration in Washington. Melania posted a message of blessings for “this great nation & all the people who protect it!” and the official Trump Jr. Instagram account shared a seemingly surreal image of the president.
The photo shows Trump in Revolutionary War attire, minigun in hand, eagle perched on his left arm. An American flag is seen behind him amid burning rubble.
One Instagram user pointed out that Trump “doesn’t even know the words to God Bless America!” (Which is true).
Users also wrote that Trump never served our country and called him a “draft dodger.”
Others expressed their support, saying it’s a “great picture,” and wishing Trump Jr. a happy Fourth of July.
Where did the Trump Jr. Instagram photo come from?
The original image appears to have been created by San Francisco artist Jason Heuser for Activision, the publisher of Call of Duty. Instead of Trump’s face, it featured George Washington atop rubble, holding an eagle.
Heuser has worked in the video game industry for years and, according to his website, focuses on “creative illustration, marketing and packaging design.”
He’s created satirical artwork of Obama in the past, as well as Bernie Sanders, Abe Lincoln and Trump. Many of his prints are sold on Etsy. One, called “Art of the Deal 2,” depicts the president and Kim Jong-un riding on a unicorn.
A version of the Trump Jr. Instagram photo was used for the Call of Duty Endowment, which raises money for organizations that help veterans transition into civil careers.
Get this George Washington @Xbox 360 dashboard theme by donating to the Call of Duty Endowment http://t.co/blyB0TpvUG pic.twitter.com/o5O5mGB0Cw
— Call Of Duty Endowment (@CODE4Vets) August 28, 2014
Anyone who donated $1 to the Endowment, got to download Heuser’s artwork for free. “With your donation, you’ll get an exclusive Xbox Live! theme by artist Jason Heuser,” reads an ad from the Endowment.
Many versions of Heuser’s piece, like the one seen on the Trump Jr. Instagram, exist online. However, on Heuser’s website and Etsy page, the minigun is included.
The artist clarified to Metro that the original image did not have a minigun — it was added in by him later on. “The mingun was my addition,” Heuser said, “just a varitation from the original sketch.”
It’s still unclear who Photoshopped Trump’s face on Heuser’s work.
During the Fourth of July, Trump Jr. also tweeted a gif of another Heuser piece.
Actual live footage of @realDonaldTrump right now. ????????? #4thJuly #america pic.twitter.com/1JlVxuqRgc
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) July 4, 2018
Here, Trump stands tall on a decked out army tank. The gif is animated to show fireworks in the background, an American flag waving in the breeze. On the barrel of the gun reads, “YOU’RE FIRED.”
