The GOP used a fabricated protest image to cheer Donald Trump’s plan to send National Guard troops into Portland—then shrugged it off as a meme.

On Sunday, the Oregon Republican Party put out a statement on Facebook, Instagram, and X.

“President Trump deploys 300 California National Guard troops to Portland,” it claimed, pairing it with a fiery street scene featuring riot cops and red flares.

However, there were two problems with the post. Firstly, hours after the post went up, a federal judge blocked the deployment.

And, as reported by The Guardian, the picture wasn’t taken in Portland—or even the U.S.

Rather, it was a composite of two stock shots. One was a 2008 photo of South American riot police, with the big giveaway that officers were holding shields with “Policia,” the Spanish

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