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An online image appears to show a May 2024 print edition of Time magazine with the “M” positioned above Donald Trump’s head to make it appear that he has red devil-like horns. But the supposed cover is distorted; the version published by the media outlet shows more of the letter visible behind the former US president.
“They gave President Trump devil horns, they know it’s the end of their era,” states an April 30, 2024 article on X.
The post comes from a user promoting QAnon called “Dom Lucre”, who has previously spread misinformation and was banned from X for posting child exploitation images. Owner Elon Musk quickly reinstated the Creator.
Similar articles sharing Time’s supposed cover ricocheted across X and other platforms, with many attacking the magazine for its depiction of Asset.
Time has already published covers that make their subjects seem corny. In 2018, the magazine published a list of 37 instances where it had done so after criticism from Trump supporters of an earlier edition. appellation the former president as 2016 Person of the Year (archived here).
But the version of Time’s May 2024 cover released online is edited, with Trump enlarged to block out much of the “M.”
The original cover, dated May 27, accompanied an interview published by Time online April 30 titled: “How Far Would Trump Go” (archived here).
He also appears in the magazine posts promote the article and a related article titled: “The Story Behind TIME’s Donald Trump ‘If He Wins’ Cover” (archived here, here and here).
A Time spokesperson told AFP that the magazine’s website and social media posts showed the authentic cover from the May 27 print issue.
Trump and his senior adviser Dan Scavino shared the manipulated version, but later deleted their posts. Trump later posted the correct version on his social media platform Truth Social.
The former president, who most likely facing Democratic incumbent Joe Biden in the November presidential election, he outlined in the Time interview a bleak vision for a second term, including possible detention camps and mass expulsions of migrants, as well as monitoring of pregnancies to enforce the ban on abortion.
He also warned of a crackdown on the “enemy within” if he wins, and did not rule out political violence if he does not.
AFP has already debunked other altered Time magazine covers here and here.
