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You didn’t hear that accurately: Audio of discussion of Michelle Obama’s gender is fabricated
A video circulating Facebook shows what’s described as "the greatest debate ever!"
But it’s a doctored one.
As still photos of former Presidents Donald Trump and Barack Obama alternately appear on screen, audio of a voice supposedly belonging to Trump says: "Anons keep telling me that they’ve never seen a single picture of Michelle pregnant. How do you explain that?"
A voice that’s supposed to be Obama replies: "Oh, here we go again."
Trump: "You’re telling me that not a single photograph was taken while Big Mike was carrying her two children? This is unbelievable to say the least. Bulls---, Obama, and you know it. I’d sooner see a picture of Bigfoot than see a photograph of your wife with a baby bump and I’m tired of pretending otherwise."
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A Facebook post sharing the video was flagged as part of Facebook’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram.)
There are some obvious clues that this audio isn’t authentic. First, the voice that’s supposed to be Trump clearly isn’t. Sure, maybe the person could pass as a Trump impersonator, but by the time he says "Bulls---," the pacing reveals that we’re not dealing with a human but something digital.
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Rather than saying "bulls---, Obama, and you know it," the voice says "bulls--- … Obama and you know it" — almost like the song lyric "if you’re happy and you know it."
Trump’s gibes are not uncommon. In the past, he drew plenty of news coverage for insulting another lawmaker’s wife. And in 2021, he got big laughs from a conservative crowd as he seemingly mockingly called former first lady Michelle Obama "very beautiful." But we found none to corroborate the statements attributed to Trump in this post.
We rate it False.
Our Sources
Facebook post, March 12, 2023
The Washington Post, Inside Trump’s private, revisionist, grievance-laden speech to the RNC, April 13, 2021
PBS NewsHour, Trump under fire for jabs aimed at Cruz’s wife, March 26, 2016
CNN, Cruz on Trump’s attacks on his wife: ‘Leave Heidi the hell alone,’ March 25, 2016
Donald Trump tweet, March 23, 2016
The Daily Beast, Trump Attacks Heidi Cruz’s Looks, July 12, 2017
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You didn’t hear that accurately: Audio of discussion of Michelle Obama’s gender is fabricated
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