claim: photo depicts the joint chiefs of staff giving president obama the finger during the state of the union address.
question: joint chiefs of staff flip obama off during sotu?
origin: on 12 january 2016, president obama delivered his final state of the union address. shortly thereafter, the above-reproduced image, purportedly depicting the joint chiefs of staff giving the commander-in-chief the finger, began circulating.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  despite the image’s assertion that it is “not photoshopped,” the low resolution and choppy quality suggest otherwise. putting aside the fact such a show of defiance at a major event would be newsworthy, no clips of the purported reaction of the joint chiefs showed evidence of such a display:
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  multiple web sites claimed the joint chiefs were “attempting to send some sort of message,” but none adopted the far more compelling stance that the military leaders flipped their commander-in-chief the bird during his remarks on the strength of america’s armed services.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  in a virtually identical captured photograph, the joint chiefs can be seen with their hands in the exact same positions — minus the rude gesture:
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  the look on the joint chiefs’ faces speaks volumes…
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  posted by conservative apparel on wednesday, january 13, 2016
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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comment: no, this photo doesn't depict the joint chiefs of staff giving president obama the finger during the state of the union address.
summary: a photo purportedly showing the joint chiefs of staff giving the commander-in-chief the finger began circulating shortly after the state of the union address. despite the image’s assertion that it is “not photoshopped,” the low resolution and choppy quality suggest otherwise. in a virtually identical captured photograph, the joint chiefs can be seen with their hands in the exact same positions, minus the rude gesture.