Getty Donald and Melania Trump walk at Marine One on September 11, 2018.
The “Fake Melania” chorus of social media voices has struck again.
Back in 2017, Donald Trump had held a press event at a US Secret Service training facility, and by his side stood a woman who appeared to be his wife, Melania Trump. The woman might have in fact been Melania, but the Internet would not give the image a rest and embarked on a “Fake Melania” cry-out that drew many newspapers’ and online outlets’ attention.
In what seems to be the biggest irony ever, Trump who had been at the forefront of the “birther” movement against President Barack Obama, having accused the latter of not being born in the United States, now faces a “truther” movement of his own.
The televised showing of Melania on that fateful October day in 2017, opened a can of worms for the First Lady.
Her televised appearance caught the eye of one Joe Vargas, who tweeted that “Melania Trump” was not, in fact, Melania, but instead a concocted body double.
“This is not Melania,” tweeted Joe Vargas above. “To think they would go this far & try & make us think its [sic] her on TV is mind blowing [sic]. Makes me wonder what else is a lie.”
Conspiracy theorists jumped on his allegations and his initial tweet was retweeted over 60,000 times. It has now been liked over 111,000 times.
Then, in 2018, the “Fake Melania” hysteria picked up again.
Fake Melania is back y’all
“Fake Melania is back y’all,” tweeted James St. James above.
On Friday, the allegations resurfaced:
“Fake Melania is back on the job,” one user tweeted yesterday–to almost 10,000 likes.
The president and his wife had been paying a visit to Alabama to remember victims of the Alabama tornado. There were 23 crosses erected in front of Providence Baptist Church in remembrance of those lost to the tornado. The crosses represented the 23 victims.
The president held his wife’s hands and paused for silence in front of each of the crosses, which had been showered with hearts, stuffed animals, flowers and written notes.
Holy bad body doubles, Batman!
Melania couldn’t even be bothered to travel to Alabama for trump’s Bible signing! I know a reconstructed sad mug when I see one, and that ain’t it.
Maybe THAT’S Melanie!
#FakeMelania
“Holy bad body doubles, Batman!” tweeted another user to almost 1,500 likes, as shown above.
“Melania couldn’t even be bothered to travel to Alabama for trump’s Bible signing! I know a reconstructed sad mug when I see one, and that ain’t it. Maybe THAT’S Melanie! #FakeMelania,” the user continued.
Some users are now expressing that they are converted believers of the Fake Melania conspiracy theory:
“I previously thought the #fakeMelania thing was bullshit but I actually don’t think that’s her. lol,” the user declared.
Even a video, posted by Andrea Wagner Barton, has been shared more than 19 million times as of this writing:
What gives?
According to fact-checking website, Snopes, the rumors of a Melania body double are false.
The evidence presented to depict Melania as fake–including evidence that it “can’t really be her standing next to her husband, because she would never willingly hold his hand,” is not sufficient, according to Snope.
This is “not evidence of a body double. It’s evidence of a poorly working television,” wrote Snopes in its analysis.