Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Facebook And Twitter Remove Trump Campaign Video Of Trump Claiming Children Are 'Immune' To The Virus

Facebook And Twitter Remove Trump Campaign Video Of Trump Claiming Children Are 'Immune' To The Virus
OLIVIER DOULIERY/AFP via Getty Images

Once again, President Donald Trump is trafficking in disinformation about the pandemic that's killed nearly 160 thousand Americans and left millions more suddenly unemployed.

Trump and his allies have been vocally campaigning for a full return to schools as early as this month in some counties, despite the risks posed to both students and staff. Their defense is that young people are practically immune to the virus.


Trump reiterated the false claim in a Fox News interview.

 

The President said:

"My view is the schools should open. This things going away. It will go away like things go away...If you look at children, children are almost—I would almost say definitely—but almost immune from this disease. So few, they've got stronger—hard to believe, I don't know how you feel about it, but they have much stronger immune systems than we do somehow."

The President shared the clip on his Facebook account and the video was also shared by the Trump campaign on Twitter, but both platforms have since removed it on the basis of spreading false information.

Twitter temporarily blocked the campaign from tweeting until the post was removed.

While Twitter has flagged multiple Trump tweets in the past for their misinformation, this marked the first time Facebook—which has expressed greater hesitation in combatting fake news—removed one of Trump's posts.

Andy Stone, a Facebook spokesperson, told NBC News:

"This video includes false claims that a group of people is immune from [the virus] which is a violation of our policies around harmful...misinformation."

Trump Campaign deputy press secretary Courtney Parella said:

"The President was stating a fact that children are less susceptible to the [virus]. Another day, another display of Silicon Valley's flagrant bias against this President, where the rules are only enforced in one direction. Social media companies are not the arbiters of truth."

Children are definitely not "totally immune" to the virus, as Trump said, and some areas are learning that in the most painful way imaginable.

At the end of June, a virus outbreak occurred at a Georgia overnight camp that had taken limited precautions in slowing the spread. The camp held 600 campers and counselors, 344 of whom were tested for the virus. Of those 344, 76 percent tested positive. The majority of the positive results were in children between six and 17 years old.

The President's false claims are dangerous.

 


 


 


 

People were relieved to see social media outlets pushing back against the false claims.

 


 


 


 


 

Nevertheless, Trump doubled down on the claim in his Wednesday press conference.

More from News

People Reveal The Dark Secrets They Discovered About Someone After They Died

Sometimes you never know who someone is until they're gone.

Everyone has their secrets.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot of Jesse Watters; Hakeem Jeffries
Fox News; Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Jesse Watters Pathetically Tries To Burn Hakeem Jeffries With Bizarre 'Rule For Men' Rant

Fox News personality Jesse Watters was widely mocked after he criticized House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries for having recently shared a photo of himself on Instagram that appeared to be digitally altered—with the bench he was leaning against noticeably warped around his hips.

You can see Jeffries' photo below.

Keep ReadingShow less
Snoop Dogg
Christopher Polk/Billboard via Getty Images

Snoop Dogg's Puppy Instagram Breaks Internet

Snoop Dogg introduced his fans to the newest little bow-wow in his household, a puppy named Baby Boy Broadus.

The adorable small tan French bulldog made his debut on the rapper’s Instagram account on June 28th, sporting a Louis Vuitton leash and chewing on his owner’s Death Row Jacket.

Keep ReadingShow less
Donald Trump
DRM News/YouTube

Trump Ripped After Going Off On Bonkers Rant About Room's Decor During Cabinet Meeting

During Tuesday's cabinet meeting while the press was in attendance, MAGA Republican President Donald Trump gave a rambling stream of consciousness speech that went all over the place before landing on paint versus gold leaf, leading people to again question the POTUS' mental acuity amid a notable cognitive decline.

In a disjointed monologue about the decor in the cabinet room, Trump said he stole a grandfather clock from Secretary of State Marco Rubio's office and chose a painting of James Polk because the frame matched the frame around his favorite President—Andrew Jackson.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots of Eric Adams
@ericadamsfornyc/Instagram

NYC Mayor Eric Adams Roasted After Viewers Notice Awkward Detail In His 'Morning Routine' Video

New York City Mayor Eric Adams was widely mocked after he shared a video on social media of his "morning routine," with time stamps showing his activities—only for viewers to notice that a standard black-and-white wall clock visible in part of the video showed a very different time.

Adams jumped on the latest Instagram trend this week, sharing his version of a “morning routine” video with his followers. The trend, which has already begun to fade, typically features sped-up clips of people going through their early rituals—complete with edits, ambient music, and timestamp overlays.

Keep ReadingShow less