The image featuring Russian MiG-29s, which was used by the Trump Make America Great Again Committee in an ad calling for support for US troops. Picture: Pinterest
US President Donald Trump’s fundraising division for his reelection campaign reportedly released a digital advertisement on 11 September urging support for the country’s troops… but used a stock image of Russian jets and models dressed as soldiers.
Politico reports that the creator of the image, a Russian based nonprofessional photographer, Arthur Zakirov, confirmed that the picture used in the digital advertisement shows a 3D model of the Russian made MiG-29 fighter jet and that the models dressed as soldiers were Russian.
Zakirov told the publication that he was amused that the picture was used in a Trump fundraising advertisement.
It was reported that the advertisement, which was created by the Trump Make America Great Again Committee, ran from 8 September to 12 September.
Experts confirmed with the publication that the jets in the stock image are MiG-29s, with one pointing out that the soldier in the far right of the photograph is carrying an AK-74, which is Russian made.
The publication reported that no response was forthcoming from the Trump campaign following a request for comment, with the Republican National Committee declining to comment.
It was reported that the image, titled “Military silhouettes of soldiers and airforce against the backdrop of sunset sky”, is available on Shutterstock.
The publication reported that last year, a tweet by Republican Brian Mast wishing a happy birthday to the US Navy featuring an image of a Russian battlecruiser was later taken down by his office.
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