Trump campaign sign in South Carolina with Swastika symbol sparks outrage

Images of a Trump campaign sign with a swastika circulated online, prompting responses from officials and the public.

A campaign sign for Donald Trump in South Carolina has triggered strong reactions after photos surfaced online showing the sign with a swastika symbol.

The controversy began when a user tweeted images of the altered sign on October 27, saying, “Seen in Barnwell, South Carolina. Shared in the SC Women for Harris Facebook Group. Local sheriff was alerted.” 

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The images had originally appeared in a Facebook group called South Carolina Women for Harris Walz. One zoomed-in shot of the sign read, “Paid for by Trump Save America Joint Fundraising Committee. A joint fundraising committee composed of and authorized by Donald J. Trump for President 2024, Inc., and Save America. DonaldJTrump.com.”

According to fact-checking site Snopes, the swastika did not appear on any official campaign merchandise sold by Trump’s campaign. Rather, it was either a new design or an altered campaign sign. 

Given the symbol’s negative connotations in the Western world—primarily associated with the Nazi regime—the imagery sparked significant backlash online.

In Hinduism, Buddhism, and other religions, the swastika has positive associations, but in the West, it evokes Nazi ideology.

Group member Elizabeth Grushkowsky, who shared the images on Facebook, commented, “I'm so sorry this is upsetting material. I don't know who this needs to be sent to. The Barnwell County Sheriff has already been made aware of the sign.” 

In her conversation with Snopes, Grushkowsky said the photos were taken on October 26 when she spotted the sign after leaving a local festival. Though she had not directly contacted authorities, she noted that a Trump-supporting acquaintance had reached out to the Barnwell County Sheriff’s Office and the South Carolina Republican Party about the sign. 

Snopes reached out to the Barnwell County Sheriff’s Office for comment but did not receive a response. 

The site further reported that Democrats compared the incident to a 1939 pro-Nazi rally held in Madison Square Garden, a reminder of the darker symbolism tied to the swastika in the Western context.

Donald Trump has responded to such allegations before, rebuffing accusations of Nazi affiliations. 

At a rally in Georgia, he reportedly told supporters that accusations of his association with Nazi ideology were unfounded, saying his opponent Kamala Harris was the real "fascist."