A fake Trump endorsement in N.H. is a reminder for voters to stay skeptical online
You can’t believe everything you see online. That well-worn wisdom bears repeating. Especially when content is created and consumed far more quickly than it can be vetted.
Read more Trevor Story begins road to recovery after undergoing sports hernia surgery
Case in point: The supposed endorsement from President Trump that Joe Sweeney, the deputy majority leader of the New Hampshire House, posted to social media on Tuesday. There were clues at the outset that the endorsement was fake. But not everyone picked up on the joke.
Sweeney, a “very online” Republican, shared what appeared to be a screenshot from Trump’s Truth Social platform indicating the president had endorsed Chris Maidment in the upcoming race for Hillsborough County treasurer.
The post included hints that Sweeney was kidding. His note, “Wow I was not expecting this,” winked at the peculiarity of the supposed endorsement. And a quick check on Truth Social revealed no such message from Trump. Still, the post fooled people, including Union Leader senior political reporter Kevin Landrigan, who reacted in a since-deleted post as if the fabricated screenshot were real.
The whole incident is a good reminder to put three skeptical C’s into action:
1. Contextualize. Even if there had been no hints of insincerity in Sweeney’s post, it’s important to step back and consider the broader context. The president has issued an endorsement for the US Senate race in New Hampshire, but not for any down-ballot contests in the state this cycle. A county-level endorsement would be unexpected. That should spur doubts.
Read more Trump confirms he called Netanyahu ‘crazy,’ as he says Israel is complicating peace talks with Iran
2. Corroborate. That is, track down the original post. If the president actually issued this endorsement early Tuesday, it would likely still appear on his Truth Social feed. But a review of his timeline revealed no such post to corroborate Sweeney’s screenshot. Googling the text of the supposed endorsement similarly unearthed zero matches.
3. Confirm. Since a positive claim is easier to prove than a negative one, I reached out directly to Sweeney and Maidment to try to confirm my strong suspicion that the post was, in fact, a gag. Maidment said the endorsement was fake. Sweeney said his post was a joke.
This situation was simple, but more complex matters will arise in the months and years to come. And artificial intelligence is also fueling a glut of online content that’s already pervaded political discourse in ways both eye-catching and mundane, with no sign of slowing down. In this environment, practicing daily skepticism is a lot like hitting the gym: preparation for heavier lifts ahead.
This story appears in Globe NH | Morning Report, a free email newsletter focused on New Hampshire, including great coverage from the Boston Globe and links to interesting articles elsewhere. Sign up here.
Post Comment