FACT CHECK: Did Donald Trump Send This Email About ‘The Nuke Codes’?

Elias Atienza | Senior Reporter

An image shared on Facebook claims former President Donald Trump sent an email about “the nuke codes” after the raid on Mar-a-Lago.

Verdict: False

The image has been digitally altered. The original email does not mention nuclear codes.

Fact Check:

The FBI executed a search warrant on Trump’s Flordia residence on Aug. 8 to recover classified documents and other materials he took from the White House, according to The Washington Post. Some of those documents may have pertained to nuclear weapons, the outlet reported.

The Facebook image claims to show an email Trump sent after the raid. The email appears to make light of the reported nuclear documents and features a headline that reads “The nuke codes are 15-25-50-80.” It goes on to ask for donations. The subject line of the email is “MAR-A-LAGO RAIDED.”

There is no record of Trump sending such an email. There are no credible news reports about the alleged email and it does not appear on the former president’s website. It also does not appear on an archive of Trump’s fundraising emails. (RELATED: Did The Trump Campaign Email Supporters Asking For Donations To ‘Help Him Recover’ From COVID-19?)

The image appears to be an altered version of an actual email Trump sent in the aftermath of the raid. New York Times reporter Shane Goldmacher shared a screenshot of the authentic email on Twitter. The email does not make any mention of nuclear codes.

“NEW: I believe this is Trump’s first fundraising email off the FBI search,” Goldmacher tweeted.

Liz Harrington, a Trump spokeswoman, confirmed to The Associated Press and Newsweek that the image shared on Facebook was not a real Trump email.

Elias Atienza

Senior Reporter
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