During social media celebrations for the US Navy’s 251st birthday on October 13, several high-profile American politicians accidentally posted images featuring Indian and Russian warships instead of US vessels. Prominent figures, including Georgia Governor Brian Kemp and North Carolina Congressman Tim Moore, faced online mockery after using photos of Indian Navy frigates to salute American naval power.
The photograph was originally taken by a US Navy photographer during a joint Malabar exercise in 2008. The viral blunder gained traction when media observers noticed that Governor Kemp shared an image featuring three warships sailing in formation—identified as Indian Navy frigates INS Godavari, INS Brahmaputra, and INS Beas. Despite the post carrying official state branding, the mistake was quickly flagged online. Congressman Tim Moore and the Freedom Caucus Foundation made similar errors, with the latter sharing an image of the Indian Navy frigate INS Trikand. The social media missteps extended beyond Indian vessels, with multiple officials accidentally showcasing Russian naval assets: Russian Battlecruisers : US Border Patrol official Jeffrey J. Dinise posted an image featuring a Russian Kirov-class battlecruiser. Former navy veteran mistake : Ohio State Representative Mike Dovilla—a former US Navy lieutenant commander—wished the force a happy birthday using images of Russian Navy warships. Soviet museum ship : San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria shared a photo of the Soviet-era cruiser Mikhail Kutuzov, currently docked as a museum ship in Novorossiysk, Russia. The embarrassing mix-up highlighted widespread oversight by political media teams, turning an official celebration of American sea power into a viral lesson in image verification.
