Internet sleuths have accused the GOP of photoshopping a picture of Vice President JD Vance shared on its account for his 41st birthdayThe GOP have been accused of photoshopping a photo of Vice President JD Vance that was shared on their X page.
The Republican Party shared a photograph of Vance, who was the subject of a humiliating Trump meme, on its official social media account in honor of his 41st birthday on Friday, Aug. 2.
Some eagle-eyed internet sleuths pointed out that Vance’s thumb appears to be cut off, the stars in the background look oddly placed, his arm seems dislocated, and—at the very least—his shoulder is covering the “Y” in the word “Birthday” they photoshopped into the image, prompting both agreement and pushback online. It comes after a Trump family member revealed his body is “rotting inside” as she delivered a terrifying update on the president’s health.
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“And why would they not see they cut off his thumb?” one user questioned.
“@JDVance is not that snatched! What in the Ozempic Photoshop is this?” a critical user wrote.
“The photoshop you guys did to his face and then to make his [waist] smaller is hilarious. LMFAO so embarrassing,” another added, though several users questioned this theory.
However, others criticized users for overanalyzing the celebratory image.
“They literally just did a mediocre photoshop job on his arm for text layover, get out of mom’s basement,” one savagely replied.
Photoshop is a powerful editing tool often used to clean up or enhance images — but it can also be used to alter appearances, add or remove elements, or adjust proportions.
Online, users have become adept at spotting telltale signs of manipulation, like missing limbs, warped backgrounds, or awkward layering.
Photoshop, a widely used image-editing software developed by Adobe, allows users to retouch, reshape, and manipulate photos with remarkable precision. Common tools include the ability to smooth skin, slim body parts, remove objects, and overlay text or graphics.
JD Vance celebrated his 41st birthday on Friday, Aug. 2(Image: AP)In political and marketing contexts, Photoshop is often used to enhance appearances, adjust lighting, or make layouts cleaner for social media — but even subtle edits can create unnatural distortions or fuel public skepticism if inconsistently applied.
Meantime, Vance has been very open about his weight loss journey. He told The Daily Mail last summer that he lost 30 lbs. by dieting and exercising, dispelling rumors about taking weight loss drugs.
“I haven’t taken any drugs. Obviously, you eat a little bit less, but it’s also just eating better,” he told The Daily Mail in August 2024 while on the campaign trail.
He said that he decided to embark on a fitness journey after getting frustrated by his shortness of breath while playing with his children following his successful Senate race.
He said last August that he started skipping breakfast, though he used to relish in eating large morning meals, including three waffles, scrambled eggs and bacon. He said he also began running and going to the gym regularly.
It comes after Trump’s real shockingly thin hair was finally exposed in pictures when he took a helmet off.