Fact check: Fake Trump quote about ending up in prison if Biden wins had its origin in satire

Chelsey Cox, USA TODAY
Updated ·3 min read

The claim: Trump said he would go to prison if Biden were elected president

A claim that President Donald Trump stated he would go to prison if Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden wins the election appears to be a satirical take on current events.

Facebook user Warren Lynch posted to the claim to his account on Aug. 12.

"'If you elect Joe Biden, I will go to prison.'-Donald Trump, today," the post reads.

Lynch told USA TODAY in a Facebook message that the claim was, "just a rumor that was funny."

"He will go to jail, tho," he added in reference to Trump.

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Where did the statement originate?

Trump did not make this statement on or before Aug. 12. The claim was copied from an Aug. 2 Twitter post by user Baligubadle.

"Donald Trump today: “If you elect Joe Biden I will go to prison,” Baligubadle wrote. The author, whose Twitter bio reads, "tRump is not running for re-election--tRump is running to avoid prison," later admitted in the tweet thread that the post was "Satire."

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The president delivered remarks from the State Dining Room on Aug. 12 about safely reopening schools during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the White House's website. Politico also reported on a Coronavirus Taskforce briefing held that day; a transcript of the briefing was posted to the blog Rev. There was no reference to Trump going to prison if Biden wins the presidential election during either event.

The White House released no official remarks on Aug. 2.

References to the claim did not appear in any of Trump's tweets on Aug. 2 or Aug. 12, according to the Trump Twitter Archive.

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Our rating: False

We rate this claim FALSE, because it is not supported by our research. . The author of the claim admitted it was satirical. There are no references in official records to President Donald Trump having saying he will go to prison if Democratic rival Joe Biden wins the presidential election.

Our fact-check sources:

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fact check: Donald Trump quote is fake, originated in satire