CINCINNATI – A photo of a Cincinnati family apparently tweeted by the Donald Trump campaign and ripped off from WCPO.com created an uproar on social media and with the family over the weekend.
The picture has been doctored (above) with the words: "American Families For Trump: We need a common sense president" and suggests they are on the "Trump Train."
But the parents, Eddie and Vanessa Perry, said they are not endorsing or publicly supporting any presidential candidate, according to a BuzzFeed story.
“When I saw it, I immediately knew it was political propaganda,” Eddie Perry said.
“Why use it without asking for someone’s permission? Why use our image without asking?
“I’m not saying there aren’t black families who endorse Trump,” he said. “However, this black family didn’t endorse anyone.”
The photo, tweeted by @realDonaldTrump, was taken by a WCPO freelancer at the Midwest Regional Black Family Reunion in Cincinnati last August. Here's the original photo as it appeared – undoctored - in a WCPO.com photo gallery from that event.
The tweeted photo was stamped by @Don_Vito_08 and posted on the same account that tweeted an unflattering image of Ted Cruz's wife and a photo of Trump's wife in March.
Some Twitter users caught the deception, traced the photo to WCPO.com, and made the connection with @Don_Vito_08.
Trump is now retweeting pilfered images to create the impression of support: https://t.co/xXH8RZS8WT https://t.co/Vun9QDp9NZ
— Mark Czerniec (@MarkCzerniec) June 4, 2016
@MarkCzerniec @realDonaldTrump Is this for real? What a disgrace! Someone needs to check this @jaketapper @cnn @TaraSetmayer @ananavarro
— Cindy Wise (@WiseguyC) June 4, 2016
Pictures found on the internet love Trump! @realDenaldTrump https://t.co/Q4Px5QbRjN
— Lawrence Walsh (@LarryWalshID) June 4, 2016
@MarkCzerniec @realDenaldTrump @realDonaldTrump Oh my God. You are freaking kidding me. How stupid!
— BumTrumpet (@TrumpettyTrump) June 4, 2016
Take a look at this and Trumps morning retweet. Unreal! He is such a fraud! https://t.co/68PTIG5aHB
— Cindy Wise (@WiseguyC) June 4, 2016
@MarkCzerniec you found this too! The account he RT'd is a Trump camp fake account for cover I'm pretty sure. Same: pic.twitter.com/EmKgZlOR6Y
— Lauren B (@laurenbraden) June 4, 2016
The photographer, Joseph Fuqua, told WCPO he got a tweet telling him that his photo had been doctored and "seen by millions." No one contacted him to ask for permission, he said.
"I ought to send him a bill," Fuqua said, referring to Trump.
"Look, I know how campaigns work and I don't imagine Donald Trump did it personally. It was some intern. But if a billionaire is going to use my photo, he should pay for it."
Fuqua chimed in on Twitter with one word:
@MarkCzerniec @WCPO
WOW— Joseph Fuqua II (@fuquaImages) June 4, 2016
