Photo supposedly showing Stormy Daniels in a mushroom-printed dress is altered | Fact check
The claim: Photo shows Stormy Daniels went to Trump hush money trial in a mushroom-printed dress
An April 22 Facebook post (direct link, archive link) shows a picture of adult film star Stormy Daniels walking outside while wearing a blue dress decorated with images of mushrooms.
“Stormy Daniels chose to wear this dress today to court. I can’t imagine why,” reads text included in the post, referencing how Daniels' once famously described former President Donald Trump’s genitals.
The post was shared more than 300 times in a day.
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Our rating: Altered
The mushrooms have been digitally added to the image. Daniels did not wear a mushroom print dress, nor has she made an appearance at Trump’s hush money trial as of April 23.
Post references Daniels' prior description
In 2018, Daniels released a memoir called “Full Disclosure” in which she described her alleged affair with Trump years before he became president. Daniels was paid $130,000 in hush money by Trump’s team before his 2016 run for office to keep quiet about the purported sexual liaison.
Trump now stands trial for allegedly falsifying business records to cover up that payment ahead of the election. He has previously declared the affair never happened.
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But Daniels didn’t show up to the trial wearing a mushroom-emblazoned dress. Daniels, who is on the prosecutors’ list of key witnesses, has not yet appeared at the trial as of April 23.
The photo is an edited version of a scene from April 17, 2018 – also captured by a Reuters photographer – of Daniels arriving at the set of ABC’s “The View,” where she spoke about the alleged affair with Trump. Daniels' attire and purse and the man behind her match between the two images, though the backgrounds are slightly different.
The mushroom dress also shows obvious signs of digital alterations, such as mushrooms that don't bend as the fabric beneath them does.
USA TODAY reached out to the Facebook user who shared the post for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
Our fact-check sources:
Amazon, accessed April 23, Full Disclosure by Stormy Daniels
Washington Post (YouTube), April 17, 2018, Stormy Daniels on 'The View', annotated
Reuters , April 17, 2018, Stormy Daniels' lawyer offers $100,000 to identify man she says threatened her
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Photo of Stormy Daniels in mushroom dress is altered | Fact check