Can you imagine the 'polling watcher fear' arising from a possible complete loss/failure of the Curiosity mission ?
It would bring front and center another miserable failure of the o'feuhrer regime.
With Curiosity still in play - it would take a little of the sting out of criticism that o'feuhrer has totally gutted and destroyed America's Extremely successful 'space exploration' programs.
That would be the underlying REASON for 'faking' Curiosity - imo.
There is definitely something very, very hinky about those 'photos'.

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good ...