Latest news with #America'sLastLineofDefense
Yahoo
14-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Claims about USAID funding Malia Obama originated as satire
"Can someone explain why Malia Obama received $2.2 million in funds from USAID?" says text over an image of Obama shared February 12, 2025 on Threads. Similar posts spread across platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and X, with some claiming to quote her saying she deserved the money for being a pen pal to children worldwide. "Malia Obama says she deserved every penny of the $2.3 million she got from USAID: 'I provided penpal services for dozens of lonely kids in impoverished countries.' She wrote letters. To 'dozens' of kids. For $2.3 million," says one February 13 post on X. "She needs to pay that money back." The allegations about the former Democratic leader's 26-year-old daughter spread as Trump and billionaire Elon Musk, tasked by the president with overhauling the federal government, have attempted to dismantle USAID, leaving employees and foreign aid contractors in limbo as courts take up cases opposing the plan. The giant humanitarian agency has for decades funded health and emergency programs as well as democracy promotion initiatives in about 120 countries, including the world's poorest regions. Trump and Musk have alleged the agency is rife with "fraud" but provided little evidence to support their allegations. The viral online claims about Malia Obama also lack evidence. A search of an official open data source compiling federal spending information, shows no USAID funds awarded or disbursed to her. The only two records that specifically mention her by name relate to payments for Secret Service protection she received in 2016, when Barack Obama was wrapping up his presidency (archived here and here). Keyword searches also return no credible news reports of the younger Obama saying she penned letters to children in poor countries as part of a government-funded program. On the contrary, those searches revealed that the claims originated with a network of parody websites and social media pages called America's Last Line of Defense. An America's Last Line of Defense watermark also appears on the image of Malia Obama shared in some of the posts making the claims online. Run by a man named Christopher Blair, America's Last Line of Defense sites publish false stories and hoaxes often mistaken for real news. On February 9, a Facebook page associated with the network uploaded the same image of Malia Obama featuring the text claiming she received USAID funding. The next day, it posted the made-up quote about her allegedly working as a pen pal. It then recycled the claim once more on February 13. The Facebook page's bio says: "Nothing on this page is real." Blair previously told AFP that he thinks people share his content because it fits "their confirmation-biased narrative of the world." "Whether or not a thing is true no longer matters to about 35 million Americans," he said. "If it's what they want to hear, they'll pass it along." AFP reached out to a spokesperson for former president Obama for comment, but no response was forthcoming. AFP has fact-checked other misinformation about USAID here and here.
USA Today
13-02-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
Malia Obama received millions from USAID? No, that's satire
The claim: Malia Obama received $2 million in USAID funds A Feb. 11 Instagram post (direct link, archive link) shows an image of former President Barack Obama's eldest daughter and claims a federal agency gave her a large sum of money. 'Can someone explain why Malia Obama received $2.2 million in funds from USAID?' text in the image reads. 'Enquiring (sic), taxpaying minds want to know.' The post presents the claim as legitimate news, with its caption reading in part, "The Deep State is Crumbling and the Crime of the Century is being EXPOSED!!! I want them ALL PROSECUTED." Many commenters also viewed it that way. "Oboma has been behid all this corruption (sic)," one wrote. "Stop paying taxes. This has to stop. Democrats are out of control," wrote another. The Instagram post received more than 10,000 likes in two days. Similar versions of the claim circulated widely on Facebook and on X. More from the Fact-Check Team: How we pick and research claims | Email newsletter | Facebook page Our rating: Satire This didn't happen. The claim originated on a website that posts satirical content. Claim rooted in post from satirical account President Donald Trump is pushing for the dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development, accusing the foreign aid agency of being 'corrupt' by spending money on projects the White House has called 'malicious' and 'ridiculous.' There is no credible evidence, however, that any of those projects involved awarding millions of dollars to Obama's daughter Malia. There are no credible news reports about USAID giving her millions. Fact check: No, image doesn't show real Trump post about Department of Education The claim originated in a Feb. 9 Facebook post by America's Last Line of Defense, which is part of a network of satirical accounts. Its intro section states that 'nothing on this page is real,' and site operator Christopher Blair has previously told USA TODAY that any content published by his accounts is fabricated. The image in the Instagram post is identical to the one in the satirical post. Both include a watermark with the abbreviated name of the Facebook account, but the Facebook post contains no overt acknowledgment of the claim's satirical origin. USA TODAY previously debunked false claims that Barack Obama would be allowed to run for a third term under a proposed constitutional amendment and that Obama said Trump 'tried to kill' his first vice president, Mike Pence. USA TODAY reached out to several social media users who shared the claim but did not immediately receive any responses. Lead Stories debunked a version of the claim. Our fact-check sources America's Last Line of Defense, Feb. 9, Facebook post America's Last Line of Defense, accessed Feb. 13, Facebook profile Christopher Blair, Aug. 3, 2023, Email exchange with USA TODAY Thank you for supporting our journalism. You can subscribe to our print edition, ad-free app or e-newspaper here. USA TODAY is a verified signatory of the International Fact-Checking Network, which requires a demonstrated commitment to nonpartisanship, fairness and transparency. Our fact-check work is supported in part by a grant from Meta.
Yahoo
06-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
No proof Musk donated $10 million to Jan. 6 families, claim is stolen satire
A Jan. 26 Facebook post (direct link, archive link) claims Elon Musk financially supported the families of Jan. 6 defendants. 'Elon Musk has donated $10 million to help J6 families 'jump-start their lives,'' reads the post. It was shared more than 200 times in 10 days. Other versions of the claim spread widely on Facebook. More from the Fact-Check Team: How we pick and research claims | Email newsletter | Facebook page There is no evidence Musk made any such donation. The claim originated on a satirical social media account. President Donald Trump pardoned more than 1,500 people charged in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol on the first day of his second term. Among them was 40-year-old Jenny McCombs, who launched a fundraiser to build a 'J6 Road Home' sanctuary offering free housing to Jan. 6 defendants, The Daily Beast reported. McCombs noted the loss of income defendants may have experienced because of their criminal records and said 'everyone deserves a second chance,' according to the outlet. But there's no evidence Musk similarly invested in helping Jan. 6 defendants and their families get a new start after Trump's pardons. USA TODAY found no record of any such donation mentioned on Musk's X account, and there are no reports from legitimate news sources supporting the claim. Fact check: No, this Musk post about favoring foreign workers over Americans isn't real The claim was first posted on a Facebook page called 'America Loves Liberty,' which presents itself as a satirical account. Its page information describes it as 'Not nearly the real news for today's conservative' and lists its page administrator as 'Busta Troll.' It also reposts content from the America's Last Line of Defense satirical network, though it said in a Jan. 28 post that it was "no longer operating under the (America's Last Line of Defense) banner." It's an example of what could be called "stolen satire," where content written as satire and presented that way originally is reposted in a way that makes it appear to be legitimate news. As a result, readers of the second-generation post are misled, as was the case here. Musk has, however, been critical of the treatment of Jan. 6 defendants. He said their prosecutions 'have gone too far' in a March 2024 X post and later said the events of Jan. 6, 2021, have been mischaracterized as 'some sort of violent insurrection, which is simply not the case,' as reported by the Associated Press. Several people died in the attack and more than 150 police officers were injured. USA TODAY has debunked an array of claims about Musk, including false assertions that he posted saying MAGA would succeed where 'Nazi Germany failed,' that he is not a U.S. citizen and that he is 'blocking Pride on X.' USA TODAY reached out to the user who shared the post for comment but did not immediately receive a response. Check Your Fact and Lead Stories also debunked the claim. America Loves Liberty, accessed Feb. 5, Facebook page Elon Musk, accessed Feb. 5, X account search America Loves Liberty, Jan. 24, Facebook post Thank you for supporting our journalism. You can subscribe to our print edition, ad-free app or e-newspaper here. USA TODAY is a verified signatory of the International Fact-Checking Network, which requires a demonstrated commitment to nonpartisanship, fairness and transparency. Our fact-check work is supported in part by a grant from Meta. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Claim of Musk donation to Jan. 6 families is satire | Fact check
USA Today
06-02-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
No proof Musk donated $10 million to Jan. 6 families, claim is stolen satire
No proof Musk donated $10 million to Jan. 6 families, claim is stolen satire | Fact check Show Caption Hide Caption Jan. 6 defendants, supporters welcome news of pardons At a Washington, D.C. detention facility Jan. 6 defendants and supporters welcomed the news of pardons from President Trump while experts worry about criminal histories. The claim: Elon Musk donated $10 million to support families of Jan. 6 defendants A Jan. 26 Facebook post (direct link, archive link) claims Elon Musk financially supported the families of Jan. 6 defendants. 'Elon Musk has donated $10 million to help J6 families 'jump-start their lives,'' reads the post. It was shared more than 200 times in 10 days. Other versions of the claim spread widely on Facebook. More from the Fact-Check Team: How we pick and research claims | Email newsletter | Facebook page Our rating: False There is no evidence Musk made any such donation. The claim originated on a satirical social media account. Musk has criticized prosecutions of Jan. 6 defendants President Donald Trump pardoned more than 1,500 people charged in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol on the first day of his second term. Among them was 40-year-old Jenny McCombs, who launched a fundraiser to build a 'J6 Road Home' sanctuary offering free housing to Jan. 6 defendants, The Daily Beast reported. McCombs noted the loss of income defendants may have experienced because of their criminal records and said 'everyone deserves a second chance,' according to the outlet. But there's no evidence Musk similarly invested in helping Jan. 6 defendants and their families get a new start after Trump's pardons. USA TODAY found no record of any such donation mentioned on Musk's X account, and there are no reports from legitimate news sources supporting the claim. Fact check: No, this Musk post about favoring foreign workers over Americans isn't real The claim was first posted on a Facebook page called 'America Loves Liberty,' which presents itself as a satirical account. Its page information describes it as 'Not nearly the real news for today's conservative' and lists its page administrator as 'Busta Troll.' It also reposts content from the America's Last Line of Defense satirical network, though it said in a Jan. 28 post that it was "no longer operating under the (America's Last Line of Defense) banner." It's an example of what could be called "stolen satire," where content written as satire and presented that way originally is reposted in a way that makes it appear to be legitimate news. As a result, readers of the second-generation post are misled, as was the case here. Musk has, however, been critical of the treatment of Jan. 6 defendants. He said their prosecutions 'have gone too far' in a March 2024 X post and later said the events of Jan. 6, 2021, have been mischaracterized as 'some sort of violent insurrection, which is simply not the case,' as reported by the Associated Press. Several people died in the attack and more than 150 police officers were injured. USA TODAY has debunked an array of claims about Musk, including false assertions that he posted saying MAGA would succeed where 'Nazi Germany failed,' that he is not a U.S. citizen and that he is 'blocking Pride on X.' USA TODAY reached out to the user who shared the post for comment but did not immediately receive a response. Check Your Fact and Lead Stories also debunked the claim. Our fact-check sources Thank you for supporting our journalism. You can subscribe to our print edition, ad-free app or e-newspaper here. USA TODAY is a verified signatory of the International Fact-Checking Network, which requires a demonstrated commitment to nonpartisanship, fairness and transparency. Our fact-check work is supported in part by a grant from Meta.
Yahoo
31-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Bishop who asked Trump to ‘have mercy' not removed. That's satire
A Jan. 25 Instagram post (direct link, archive link) claims a pastor who spoke at the inauguration prayer service for President Donald Trump was dismissed from her post. 'Bishop Mariann Budd (sic) has been removed from the National Cathedral by the Episcopal Archdiocese of Washington,' reads the post. Some commenters appeared to believe the post was sharing legitimate news. 'Well deserved! She must be taken out of the church,' reads one comment. It was liked more than 100 times in six days. Similar posts were shared on Facebook, Threads and X. More from the Fact-Check Team: How we pick and research claims | Email newsletter | Facebook page The claim originated with a satirical Facebook account, and its logo remained on the picture. Bishop Mariann Budde remains listed as bishop on the Washington National Cathedral website, and the Episcopal Church has issued a statement supporting her. Budde made 'one final plea' to Trump during her sermon at the prayer service the day after his inauguration, urging him to be merciful toward immigrants and transgender children. 'I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now," Budde said, speaking at Washington National Cathedral as Trump and Vice President JD Vance watched with their families. In response, Trump took to social media to demand a public apology, calling Budde a "Radical Left hard line Trump hater" who "brought her church into the World of politics in a very ungracious way." However, the Instagram post's claim that Budde was removed from her position at the cathedral because of her comments toward Trump is false. Fact check: Bishop who asked Trump to 'have mercy' is in Episcopal, not Catholic, church The claim originated with a Jan. 23 Facebook post from America's Last Line of Defense. The account's intro says, 'Nothing on this page is real.' The image in the post has a label in the lower-left corner that says it is satire. Budde is still listed as bishop on the Washington National Cathedral website's leadership page, and nothing similar to the claim is mentioned in any recent statements. No credible news reports support the post's claim that she has been removed. In a statement released after her sermon, the Episcopal Church said it supported Budde: 'We stand by Bishop Budde and her appeal for the Christian values of mercy and compassion,' according to the Episcopal News Service. USA TODAY reached out to reached out to the social media user who shared the post for comment but did not immediately receive a response. Reuters also debunked the claim. America's Last Line of Defense, Jan. 23, Facebook post America's Last Line of Defense, accessed Jan. 31, Facebook profile Washington National Cathedral, accessed Jan. 31, Leadership Episcopal News Service, Jan. 22, As Trump demands apology, Washington bishop explains her call for mercy toward those living in fear Thank you for supporting our journalism. You can subscribe to our print edition, ad-free app or e-newspaper here. USA TODAY is a verified signatory of the International Fact-Checking Network, which requires a demonstrated commitment to nonpartisanship, fairness and transparency. Our fact-check work is supported in part by a grant from Meta. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Bishop who spoke at Trump prayer service still has job | Fact check
