In June 2026, an image spread on X appearing to show graffiti that said "0-1" outside of a "Department of War" sign in an apparent reference to criticism of the President Donald Trump's deal with Iran after launching a war with the country. (The Trump administration has preferred to use that name for the Department of Defense during his second term in office.)
Some social media users appeared to interpret the image as an authentic snapshot of graffiti outside the Department of Defense. However, the image originated with @TheRealThelmaJ1. While the account did not use X's in-house "parody" profile label, the description of the account read, "My son says I'm a parody."
As such, we have rated this image as one that originated as satire.
A reverse image search returned no reputable news outlets reporting on such an image, nor did it return other versions of the image. If it was authentic, there would likely be other pictures of the scene taken from different angles. Images of the actual "Department of War" sign from the Department of Defense showed that the pillar the plaque was on did not have the same pockmarks and texture as the fake image.
It was unclear whether the satirical image was created with photo editing tools or generative artificial
We have previously fact-checked similar images, including an AI-generated post falsely attributed to Trump that showed him as a muscular football star surrounded by shirtless male cheerleaders.
Because the effectiveness of satire is subjective, we use "originated as satire" or "labeled satire" ratings based on creators' description of their work. It's your call on whether you agree.