Donald Trump Is Not Dead

Ouissal Harize

News

3rd November 2022

Many Twitter users praised the stunt as a retaliation against Musk (Getty)

The Claim

Former U.S. President Donald Trump is dead.

News posted on

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Emerging story

A claim purporting that the former U.S. President Donald Trump died has recently gone viral.

finally some good news #TrumpIsDead pic.twitter.com/1i4UA5NdIt
— Nathan Bernard (@nathanTbernard) November 1, 2022

A supporting image within the article body

Misbar’s Analysis

Misbar investigated the circulating claim and found it to be satirical. Former President Trump is alive and well.

Moreover, the screenshot purporting to show a CNN article reporting the demise of Trump is fabricated.

Misbar’s team thoroughly searched the CNN website and social media accounts and found no similar articles.

Reuters fact-checked the claim and found it to be satirical.

A screenshot of an alleged report by CNN claiming that former U.S. President Donald Trump died has duped some social media users. The content is fabricated and likely originated as satire https://t.co/UWpmerimLT pic.twitter.com/hrrAq7ssJ5
— Reuters Fact Check (@ReutersFacts) November 2, 2022

Twitter ended up clarifying that the circulating screenshot is fabricated and falsely attributed to CNN.

“Trump is Dead” Trending on Twitter

Twitter users systemically and deliberately shared the false allegation to undermine Elon Musk’s views on disinformation following his Twitter takeover.

Many Twitter users praised the stunt as a retaliation against Musk.

#TrumpIsDead is the best retaliation to Musk saying disinformation is free speech. I’m totally into it.
— Legit Tourist (@LegitTourist) November 2, 2022

Some internet users were confused by the trend.

Elon Musk Twitter Takeover

Elon Musk finalized his 44 billion Twitter acquisition last week.

The takeover has rekindled the online debates about the safety of using Twitter after its purchase. The uproar was intensified by Musk’s new plans to make money from the app.

For example, the billionaire announced that Twitter’s “blue tick,” which was hitherto free, will be combined with the “Twitter Blue” subscription service, for a monthly fee of $8.

Twitter’s current lords & peasants system for who has or doesn’t have a blue checkmark is bullshit.

Power to the people! Blue for $8/month.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 1, 2022

Celebrities such as the renowned writer Stephen King expressed their rejection of the new plan.

Musk makes me think of Tom Sawyer, who is given the job of whitewashing a fence as punishment. Tom cons his friends into doing the chore for him, and getting them to pay for the privilege. That's what Musk wants to do with Twitter. No, no, no.
— Stephen King (@StephenKing) November 3, 2022

Trump Did Not Thank Musk for Reactivating His Account

NYT Did Not Report That Musk’s Account Reactivation Excludes Trump