Fact Check: Are Eric and Don Jr Trump selling peeled paint from the Reflecting Pool for $200?
WASHINGTON, DC: A screenshot circulating online in June 2026 appears to show The Trump Organization's online merchandise store selling pieces of peeled paint from the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. The image also features Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr posing with what are claimed to be fragments of paint from the landmark.
The claim emerged amid ongoing scrutiny of the Reflecting Pool renovation project after reports of peeling paint and algae-related issues sparked controversy. Does the screenshot genuinely show The Trump Organization selling pieces of peeled paint from the pool? Let's fact-check the claim.
Claim: Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr are selling pieces of peeled paint from Reflecting Pool
One Instagram page that shared the alleged screenshot wrote, in part, "Trump has done it again. Just when you thought the grift had peaked at 399 dollar sneakers and 60 dollar Bibles, behold our newest collectible innovation in patriotic failure, genuine limited edition chunks of American Flag Blue from the world famous Trump Reflecting Pool."
The image appeared to show a page from the Trump Store website featuring Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr holding what were claimed to be pieces of peeled paint from the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool renovation project. The screenshot included the slogan, "Introducing American Flag Blue. A piece of history, yours to own."
It also contained promotional text that read: "Straight from the iconic Trump Reflecting Pool. Genuine peeled paint in our signature American Flag Blue. Limited supply. Lots of demand. Very collectible. Sad!" The image listed prices starting at $200 and showed several size options, including small, medium, large, and extra large, with prices increasing according to size.
The screenshot spread widely across social media platforms, including X, Facebook, Reddit, and Bluesky. Several readers also asked whether the image was authentic.
Fact Check: False, fabricated screenshot
The Trump Organization's official merchandise store was not selling pieces of paint that had peeled from the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. As the Instagram user who shared the image suggested, both the screenshot and the alleged product listing were fabricated.
The image showing Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr holding pieces of peeled paint was also part of the fake claim and appears to have been generated using artificial intelligence.
Several details indicate that the screenshot is not authentic. The design shown in the image does not match the appearance of the Trump Organization's official online store. For example, the purported store page uses a blue-and-gold color scheme, while the actual Trump Store website features a white-and-gold design.
In addition, OpenAI's verification tools found that the screenshot had been generated using artificial intelligence software. The system detected SynthID, an invisible watermark used to identify AI-generated images.
A reverse-image search later traced the image to a Facebook user who originally posted it. The user confirmed by email that they created the image using ChatGPT and shared a separate screenshot showing the prompt used to generate the fake Trump Store listing.
The user also said the image was intended as a parody. The prompt supported that claim, as it specifically instructed ChatGPT to create a satirical advertisement. However, because the image was initially shared on social media without any satire label or disclaimer, many users interpreted it as genuine.
For that reason, the claim that the Trump Organization was selling pieces of peeled paint from the Reflecting Pool is false.
