Trump shares youth photo comparison with Obama, sparking online buzz

Former U.S. President Donald Trump recently ignited online debate by posting a comparative photo on his social media platform, Truth Social. The image juxtaposed a picture of Trump from his days at the New York Military Academy with one of former President Barack Obama at age 18, during his freshman year at Occidental College.

According to The Daily Beast, Trump captioned his photo as being taken at age 20. However, the publication noted that the image is actually a graduation photo from the New York Military Academy's 1964 yearbook, when Trump was 17. The photo of Obama shows him as a college student, reportedly smoking a cigarette.

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Trump shared a side-by-side photo comparing his younger self with a photo of former President Barack Obama.

The post quickly garnered numerous reactions online. Some social media users humorously suggested that Obama's presence in the comparison exuded a stronger aura than Trump's. Others commented that Obama appeared more approachable, while some pointed out that Trump, despite attending a military academy, never served in the armed forces. Trump had previously received multiple deferments during the Vietnam War era, including one for a bone spur in his foot.

This is not the first time Trump has referenced Obama publicly. CNN previously reported that in the first 10 months of 2019, Trump mentioned Obama an average of 1.8 times per day after Obama left office in 2017. The comparison photo adds another layer to their ongoing public dynamic.

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Trump had five deferments, including for a bone spur in his foot, that exempted him from service during the Vietnam War.