Fact Check

Did Donald Trump Autograph a Woman's Chest?

If we had to sum up "Trump mania" during the 2016 presidential campaign in one image, this might be it.

Published March 11, 2019

In this Feb. 7, 2019 photo, President Donald Trump speaks during the National Prayer Breakfast, in Washington. Trump is trying to turn the debate over a wall at the U.S.-Mexico border back to his political advantage as his signature pledge to American voters threatens to become a model of unfulfilled promises. Trump will hold his first campaign rally since November’s midterm elections in El Paso, Texas, on Monday.  (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci) (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci)
Image Via AP Photo/ Evan Vucci
Claim:
A photograph shows Donald Trump signing a woman's chest.

U.S. President Donald Trump autographed a few bibles in March 2019 as he visited survivors of a tornado outbreak at a church in Alabama. As political commentators argued over whether signing the holy book was sacrilegious, some on social media took the opportunity to dredge up another photograph of Trump scrawling his signature, this time on a woman's chest:

The image of Trump signing a woman's chest is genuine. Cliff Owen of the Associated Press took it on 2 December 2015 at a campaign rally in Virginia, when Trump was a candidate for president.

The image originally came with the following caption: "Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump autographs a supporter's chest following his speech at a campaign rally at Prince William County Fair Grounds Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2015, in Manassas, Va. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)."

CNN captured video of then-candidate Trump signing his name:

While Trump certainly received some blowback for acting "unpresidential" in signing his autograph this way, others offered the image as an example of the concert-like atmosphere at Trump's presidential campaign rallies.

The Hill reported at the time: "Surrounded by a legion of autograph-seeking fans holding out books and magazines affixed with the businessman’s face, Trump’s admirer managed to get his attention and convince the presidential hopeful to sign a patch of skin just above her V-neck shirt. She blew kisses to Trump as he walked away, and screamed, “I’m not going to take a shower!”

Sources

McDermott, Jennifer.   "Trump Signed Bibles. Heresy? Many Religious Leaders Say No."     Associated Press.   9 March 2019.

Plank, Elizabeth.   "Here's Donald 'I Cherish Women' Trump Signing a Female Fan's Chest."     Mic.   3 December 2015.

Richardson, Bradford.   "Trump Signs Woman's Chest at Rally."     The Hill.   3 December 2015.

Dan Evon is a former writer for Snopes.