FACT CHECK: Image Of Trump Peeking At Melania’s Ballot Is From 2016
A post shared to Instagram allegedly shows former President Donald Trump appearing to look at his wife’s ballot as being taken during the 2024 presidential election.
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Verdict: Misleading
The photo was taken eight years ago during the 2016 presidential election.
Fact Check:
On Oct. 23, Fox News aired an interview with former president Trump in which the GOP nominee told host Brian Kilmeade that he would “be voting early” in the 2024 presidential election. A week later, he changed his mind, per the Associated Press, which reported Trump planned to cast his vote in Palm Beach, Florida, on Nov. 5.
An image gained attention on Instagram on Nov. 1 as it claimed to show Trump and his wife, Melania, voting in the 2024 election. The photo shows the former president looking over at his wife while she is voting in a gesture that has previously been mocked as him trying to catch a glimpse of her ballot. While the photo is genuine, the post featuring it is misleading as the image is eight years old.
Donald Trump peeked at Melania’s ballot, and Twitter had some jokes. Big league. https://t.co/673JwvzlDn #ElectionDay pic.twitter.com/TphKMpVXfI
— CNN (@CNN) November 8, 2016
The same footage was shared by ABC News on the same day, Nov. 8, 2016. Comments on the Nov. 1 post sharing the resurfaced photo also raised questions about Trump’s ability to vote after being convicted of 34 felonies related to falsifying records to keep an alleged affair with Stormy Daniels secret from voters ahead of the 2016 election. This verdict was handed down in New York back in May, per CBS News. (RELATED: FACT CHECK: No, Trump Is Not Winning By 15% In The Polls)
Shortly after the conviction, the Associated Press reported that Trump, who now resides in Florida, is still legally able to vote in the election. He would not be permitted to do so if he were in prison, per New York laws that are deferred to by the Florida in cases of felons convicted out of state.
