Fact Check: Truth Behind Claim Tom Hanks Wore T-Shirt With Slogan, 'Vote For Joe, Not the Psycho'

Claim:

A photograph authentically showed Tom Hanks wearing a T-shirt that read, “Vote for Joe, Not the Psycho.”

Rating:

On May 20, 2024, an X user posted an image showing actor Tom Hanks purportedly wearing a T-shirt that had what appeared to be an anti-Trump slogan: "Vote for Joe, Not the Psycho." The image was reshared and liked thousands of times.

(X user @Damaan4u33)

The above image was digitally altered to place a T-shirt over Tom Hanks' body with a fake sign. The lettering on the T-shirt is conspicuously straight, even though it should be worn across Hanks' chest and look naturally crumpled. The "Team Biden" logo at the bottom left of the image has also been added on. As such we rate this claim as "Fake."

The original photograph was posted by Hanks on his X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook accounts on June 29, 2015. In it, he wore a United States soccer team jersey to support the women's national team before their World Cup semi-final match against Germany the following day.

https://www.facebook.com/TomHanks/photos/a.130476361320.129864.129453496320/10153295141761321/?type=3&theater

As we've reported before, Hanks referred to a controversy leading up to the 2015 World Cup for soccer, hosted by Canada and the first to be played on artificial turf rather than grass. A number of international players (including some U.S. team members) took legal action against this, because playing on artificial turf is considered to increase the risk of injury. The lawsuit was eventually dropped.

The actor also referred to "Bosom Buddies," a 1980s sitcom in which he played a young man pretending to be a woman in order to stay in an affordable Manhattan apartment.

This is not the first time Hanks has been the subject of rumors he wore political slogans on his clothing. The above image was doctored in 2017 to show him "supporting" a range of causes with the slogan: "Science is Real - Black Lives Matter - No Human is Illegal - Love is Love - Women's Rights Are Human Rights - Kindness is Everything." Paparazzi photographs of Hanks were also digitally altered in May 2024 showing him wearing a T-shirt that read "Keep America Trumpless." In reality, Hanks was just wearing a plain T-shirt.

Hanks is an outspoken Democrat. He publicly stated he voted for Barack Obama in the 2008 and 2012 presidential elections, and, years later, he appeared in an advertisement for U.S. President Joe Biden, touting his administration's accomplishments.

Digitally manipulated T-shirts on famous people is a common misinformation technique we encounter at Snopes. Learn how to spot such images here.

Sources:

Bosom Buddies. Miller-Milkis-Boyett Productions, Paramount Television, 1980.

Ibrahim, Nur. "Real Pic of Tom Hanks in 'Keep America Trumpless' T-Shirt?" Snopes, 8 May 2024, https://www.snopes.com//fact-check/tom-hanks-trumpless-t-shirt/. Accessed 21 May 2024.

MacGuill, Dan. "FACT CHECK: Tom Hanks Wears Political T-Shirt?" Snopes, 26 July 2017, https://www.snopes.com//fact-check/tom-hanks-t-shirt/. Accessed 21 May 2024.

MacGuill, Dan. "Media Literacy: How to Spot T-Shirts Bearing Fabricated Messages." Snopes, 30 Mar. 2022, https://www.snopes.com//news/2022/03/30/t-shirt-fake-message/. Accessed 21 May 2024.

MSNBC. Tom Hanks on Voting for Obama, 'Slow' Progress in U.S. and American Optimism I MSNBC Summit Series. 2023. YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DdUhnf50Rs. Accessed 21 May 2024.

Rogers, Martin. "U.S. Women: Men Would Never Play World Cup on Turf." USA TODAY, https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/soccer/2015/06/05/womens-world-cup-turf-fields-grass-canada-fifa-leroux/28558001/. Accessed 21 May 2024.