FACT CHECK: No, The Associated Press Did Not Report That A TikTok Influencer Left Cocaine In The White House

Christine Sellers | Fact Check Reporter

A screenshot of a purported headline shared in a TikTok video claims The Associated Press published an article labeling influencer Harry Sisson as responsible for bringing a bag of cocaine into the White House.

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Verdict: False

The purported headline does not appear on The Associated Press’s website or verified social media accounts. The Secret Service recently concluded its investigation into the incident and did not identify any suspects, according to a Jul. 13 article from USA Today.

Fact Check:

Amid an incident that occurred this month where cocaine was discovered at the White House, the Secret Service revealed it had previously discovered small amounts of marijuana at the executive mansion last year, according to the New York Post. The bag containing the substance was originally said to have been found in the formal West Wing lobby before officials backtracked and alleged the bag had been discovered in a cubby near the White House’s West executive entrance, NBC News reported.

“Breaking News – White House Camera shows Bidens tiktok influencer harry sisson leaving the bag of cocaine near the situation room in the west wing,” the headline shared via the TikTok video purports.

The claim is false. A keyword search of The Associated Press’s website does not generate the purported headline. Likewise, the headline cannot be found on the outlet’s verified social media accounts. Although the purported headline does include screenshots from two videos Sisson published on his TikTok account, these videos date back to September 2022, meaning they pre-date the cocaine incident.

Furthermore, the Secret Service recently concluded its investigation into the incident and did not identify any suspects, according to a Jul. 13 article from USA Today.

“At this time, the Secret Service’s investigation is closed due to a lack of physical evidence,” the Secret Service said via a Thursday press release, the outlet indicated.

No DNA or fingerprints were found on the bag of cocaine during the investigation, the outlet also noted.

Likewise, there are no other recent credible news reports linking Sisson to the incident. If Sisson had been responsible for bringing the bag of cocaine into the White House, multiple outlets would’ve covered it, yet none have. In addition, the White House has neither addressed the claim via its website nor verified social media accounts. (RELATED: Did Joe Biden Get Impeached?)

Sisson, a 20-year-old New York University student, is just one of the social media influencers President Joe Biden has tapped to assist with digital strategy, according to Axios.

Furthermore, the purported headline’s lack of proper punctuation and capitalization immediately draws its legitimacy into question.

Check Your Fact has contacted the White House and The Associated Press for comment and will update this piece accordingly if one is received.

Christine Sellers

Fact Check Reporter

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