FACT CHECK: Instagram Video Makes Claim About Trump, Patton, MSNBC
A video shared on Instagram purports to show MSNBC host Ali Velshi reporting that former President Donald Trump is the biological son of World War II Gen. George S. Patton.
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Verdict: Misleading
The clip is missing important context. In the original MSNBC segment, Velshi discusses a conspiracy theory posited by followers of QAnon. He is not reporting the claim that Trump is related to Patton as fact.
Fact Check:
Bed bugs were reportedly discovered in “the recently revamped studio 3A” at MSNBC’s Manhattan headquarters prior to Super Tuesday, according to the New York Post. The discovery prompted a temporary shut-down while exterminators inspecting the building, the outlet reported, citing a memo it obtained.
The Instagram video, which has garnered over 6,000 likes, opens with a clip of a woman who says “our government has been lying to us” before it transitions to the MSNBC segment featuring Velshi. Velshi then appears to claim that Trump is the biological son of Patton.
The claim is misleading, as the Instagram video omits important context. In the original MSNBC segment, Velshi discusses a conspiracy theory posited by followers of QAnon. He is not reporting the claim that Trump is related to Patton as fact.
“QAnon, your not-so-friendly, neighborhood conspiracy cult, has gotten so out of hand that even ‘Q’ – the All Mighty leader – is disavowing some of the most fringe conspiracy theories being peddled by its loyal followers,” the video’s description reads in part.
Likewise, Check Your Fact found no credible news reports supporting the claim. In fact, the opposite is true. USA Today also debunked the claim in a Mar. 6 article.
Additionally, the claim is neither referenced on MSNBC’s website nor its verified social media accounts. Furthermore, according to a biography shared on the White House Historical Association’s website, Trump is the son of real estate developer, Fred Trump. (RELATED: Fact Checking Trump’s Recent Claim On U.S. Aid To Ukraine)
Check Your Fact has contacted MSNBC for comment and will update this piece accordingly if one is received.
