FACT CHECK: No, NBC News Did Not Publish An Article About Ron DeSantis That References ‘The Muffin Incident’
A post shared on Twitter purports NBC News recently published an article about Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis that references a so-called “muffin incident.”
What pic.twitter.com/zKdR4R5hGc
— Populism Updates (@PopulismUpdates) July 18, 2023
Verdict: False
The post appears to be digitally fabricated. A Jul. 18 article about DeSantis published by the outlet does not reference the alleged “muffin incident.”
Fact Check:
DeSantis’ campaign recently let go just under 10 staffers amid fundraising difficulties, according to Politico. The Republican Florida Governor’s campaign went through $7.9 million in its first six weeks, NBC News reported.
The Twitter post claims that several of DeSantis’ classmates purportedly spoke with NBC News reporters and mentioned an incident they referred to only as “the muffin incident.” The post further claims no one would provide any additional details about the purported incident, and the NBC News reporters could not independently verify what the incident was or if it had ever occurred. The post has received over one million views as of publication.
The post appears to be digitally fabricated. A Jul. 18 article about DeSantis published by the outlet does not reference the alleged “muffin incident.” The article focuses on a recent one-on-one interview DeSantis did with CNN news anchor Jake Tapper to discuss his 2024 presidential campaign.
Likewise, neither a keyword search of NBC News’ website nor its verified social media accounts produces an article containing a paragraph about the purported “muffin incident.” In addition, the Republican Florida Governor has not publicly addressed the claim via a statement published on his website or verified social media accounts. (RELATED: No, Video Does Not Show Ron DeSantis Saying ‘MMM Hungwy’)
Furthermore, Check Your Fact found no recent credible news reports from other media outlets reporting on the alleged incident.
Check Your Fact has contacted DeSantis’ office and NBC News’ Media Relations Division for comment and will update this piece accordingly if one is received.
