Old image of Hindu Priest with Donald Trump at White House goes viral as recent

This image is from 2020, when Donald Trump invited religious leaders to the White House to observe the National Day of Prayer in the midst of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Donald Trump won the presidency for the second time, defeating incumbent Vice President Kamala Harris in the US Presidential election. Following this, an image showing Hindu priest Pujari Harish Brahmbhatt with Donald Trump at the White House is going viral on social media with claims that it depicts a recent event after Trump’s re-election this year.

Let’s check the truth

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Fact Check- 

We started our investigation with a reverse image search on Google and the results led us to the same image uploaded on 7 May 2020 on stock the image website Alamy. The caption mentions, “President Donald J. Trump listens as Pujari Harish Brahmbhatt, B.A.P.S. Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Robbinsville, delivers remarks during the White House National Day of Prayer Service Thursday, May 7, 2020, in the Rose Garden of the White House”.

Moving further, we found the same image on an NDTV report published on 8 May 2020 with the caption, “Hindu Priest Invited By Trump Recites Vedic Prayer At White House”. The report states that the sacred Vedic Shanti Path or peace prayer was recited by Pujari Harish Brahmbhatt from the BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in New Jersey, who joined religious leaders from other faiths offering prayers on the occasion of the National Day of Prayer Service, in the Rose Garden of the White House. The event was held to pray for the health, safety and well-being of everyone affected by the coronavirus pandemic.”

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The CNN article from 7 May 2020 states that the White House ceremony of prayers from religious leaders of all faiths was held to pray for an end to the coronavirus pandemic. The Washington post broadcasted the event live at that time. You can see that below.

Thus, taking account of all these evidences, we can understand that an old image of the Hindu priest with Donald Trump at White House shared falsely as recent.

Conclusion- 

Fact crescendo found the claim made along with the viral image to be Misleading. This image is from 2020, when Donald Trump invited religious leaders to the White House to observe the National Day of Prayer in the midst of the COVID-19 outbreak.