Stand up for the facts!
Our only agenda is to publish the truth so you can be an informed participant in democracy.
We need your help.
I would like to contribute
Former President Donald Trump didn’t tweet this QAnon phrase
If Your Time is short
- Former President Donald Trump didn’t tweet this.
Former President Donald Trump has previously drawn attention for seemingly embracing the QAnon movement, which perpetuates unfounded conspiracy theories such as that a global cabal of celebrities and Democratic politicians are running a child sex trafficking ring.
But we found no evidence that he tweeted a phrase associated with QAnon, despite a supposed screenshot of such a tweet.
"My Fellow Americans, THE STORM IS UPON US!!!" read the text in what looked like a screenshot of a tweet from @realDonaldTrump, the former president’s Twitter handle.
A Facebook post sharing the image 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.)
Featured Fact-check
But the tweet seen in the post isn’t dated. Trump hasn’t tweeted since before his account was permanently suspended for violating the platform's policies against inciting violence after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. After Elon Musk bought the platform and became Twitter’s CEO, he reinstated Trump’s account.
Sign up for PolitiFact texts
We didn’t find the tweet in Trump’s Twitter feed, nor among his deleted tweets that used to be tracked by ProPublica’s Politwoops database. We also found no credible news coverage or other sources reporting on Trump tweeting the phrase, though previous perceived forays into QAnon lore were covered in the media.
In the Facebook post, the purported tweet appears alongside a March 18 authentic Truth Social post from the president urging his supporters to protest. But unlike that post, this tweet isn’t real.
We rate claims that Trump tweeted this False.
Our Sources
Facebook post, March 18, 2023
Donald Trump’s Twitter account, visited March 20, 2023
Twitter, Permanent suspension of @realDonaldTrump, Jan. 8, 2021
PBS NewsHour, Trump’s embrace of QAnon raising concerns about future political violence, Sept. 23, 2022
PolitiFact, QAnon ideas proliferate in 2022 midterms, raising continued concerns of violence, Nov. 7, 2022
Politwoops search, March 20, 2023
Politwoops, Deleted tweets from Donald J. Trump, March 20, 2023
Twitter search, March 20, 2023
Browse the Truth-O-Meter
More by Ciara O'Rourke
Former President Donald Trump didn’t tweet this QAnon phrase
Support independent fact-checking.
Become a member!
In a world of wild talk and fake news, help us stand up for the facts.