Fact-Check: Was a Trump Campaign Sign in South Carolina Altered with a Swastika?
3 min readOn October 27, 2024, images of a Trump campaign sign bearing a swastika went viral on social media, sparking intense debate. The images, initially shared by user @taylorsschumann on X (formerly Twitter), were purportedly first posted in a private Facebook group called South Carolina Women for Harris Walz. In her post, Taylor Schumann wrote, “Seen in Barnwell, South Carolina. Shared in the SC Women for Harris Facebook Group. Local sheriff was alerted.” This quickly drew attention from both supporters and critics of Donald Trump’s campaign.
The sign in question bore the familiar “Paid for by Trump Save America Joint Fundraising Committee” disclaimer, linking it directly to official Trump campaign efforts. However, fact-checking investigations, including by Snopes, cast doubt on the image’s authenticity. They concluded that the sign had likely been doctored or altered to feature a swastika, as similar yard signs from the Trump campaign’s official merchandise store do not include any such symbols.
Seen in 📍 Barnwell, South Carolina. Shared in the SC Women for Harris Facebook Group.
— Taylor Schumann (@taylorsschumann) October 27, 2024
Local sheriff was alerted. pic.twitter.com/VUnvEVbC07
The swastika, while historically used across multiple cultures as a symbol of good fortune, is more commonly associated in the Western world with the German Nazi Party of the 20th century, which used a 45-degree tilted version of the symbol. In contrast, the non-angled swastika remains significant in several Eastern religions, including Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. Despite these nuanced differences, the presence of a swastika on campaign paraphernalia in any context is unsettling to many, contributing to the post’s virality.
In the South Carolina Women for Harris Walz Facebook group, Elizabeth Grushkowsky, a member, expressed her dismay over the image, writing, “I’m so sorry this is upsetting material. I don’t know who this needs to be sent to. The Barnwell County Sheriff has already been made aware of the sign.” According to Snopes, Grushkowsky reported that she saw the sign on October 26, 2024, while leaving a festival in Barnwell, though she herself did not contact local authorities; instead, she said her mother’s former employer, a Trump supporter, made the report.
Snopes attempted to verify the incident by contacting the Barnwell County Sheriff’s Office, but they reportedly received no response. Additional inquiries were directed to the Barnwell Police Department and local Democratic representatives, none of whom confirmed knowledge of the alleged sign.
The incident follows a series of other controversies involving Nazi symbolism and Trump supporters. Earlier in October, videos from a Trump boat parade in Jupiter, Florida, showed some participants displaying swastika flags while chanting phrases like “Heil Trump” and “White Power.” In response to accusations of promoting fascism, Trump defended himself during an October 28 rally in Georgia, emphatically denying any association with Nazism and redirecting the accusation toward Vice President Kamala Harris, whom he labeled a “fascist.”
The emergence of manipulated images and isolated incidents linked to extremist rhetoric continue to complicate the political landscape, fueling heated exchanges between opposing political groups. While the alleged swastika-bearing sign in Barnwell may have been altered, its impact highlights the divisiveness surrounding the upcoming election and the strong emotions these symbols evoke.
For now, the origin of the altered sign remains unclear, but the incident underlines the potential for digital manipulation to stoke controversy and mislead the public, reminding voters and social media users alike to critically evaluate the sources of such images. As of yet, neither Trump’s campaign nor the Barnwell authorities have issued official statements, leaving the viral image in the realm of speculation and ongoing debate.