WASHINGTON D.C., DC — "V-J Day in Times Square" is one of the most iconic photos in American history. It shows a spontaneous celebration as the nation found out that World War II was over. But a viral social media post claimed that the Department of Veterans Affairs would no longer tolerate the public display of that photograph in its clinics, hospitals, and offices.
The post, published by the conservative account @EndWokeness, shows a memo from an assistant undersecretary that says the photo, which shows a U.S. Navy sailor in uniform kissing a nurse in the middle of Times Square, meets the department's definition of sexual assault.
QUESTION
Is the Department of Veterans Affairs removing all copies of the photograph "V-J Day in Times Square" from its facilities?
SOURCES
ANSWER
While the memo shown in the viral post was authentic, the VA is not removing the photograph.
WHAT WE FOUND
"V-J Day in Times Square" was taken by Alfred Eisenstaedt in New York on August 15, 1945 as Americans celebrated Japan's surrender to end World War II. It is among the most well-known images in American history, but a layer of complexity and controversy has been added in recent years because the woman featured in the photo said the kiss was nonconsensual.
The post by @EndWokeness on X, formerly known as Twitter, shows a memo written by Assistant Under Secretary for Health for Operations RimaAnn O. Nelson. It says the photograph should be taken off display to "foster a more trauma-informed environment," and "facilities should seek alternative photographs that capture the spirit of victory and peace without compromising the VA's commitment to a safe and respectful environment."
Within a few hours of being published Tuesday morning, the post had been shared more than 8,000 times and had been seen by more than 3.3 million people.
Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough posted the photo to his X account later Tuesday morning and wrote, "Let me be clear: This image is not banned from VA facilities - and we will keep it in VA facilities."
A spokesperson for the Department of Veterans Affairs confirmed to WUSA9 that the department is not banning the photo from its facilities.
A government official who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the issue also told WUSA9 that the memo was authentic, but should never have been disseminated. The government official added that the memo had since been rescinded.