Social media posts falsely claim footage shows Trump delivering supplies to Texas after storm
- This article is more than one year old.
- Published on February 26, 2021 at 06:00
- 4 min read
- By AFP Hong Kong
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The video was published here on Twitter on February 20, 2021. It has been viewed more than 600 times.
The Twitter post’s Chinese-language caption translates to English as: “CNN reported: This Tuesday, President Trump delivered food, water and disaster relief supplies in Texas to condolences and embrace the injured people. Please note that the media outlet reporting this incident turned out to be CNN! Don’t you think this is unusual?!”
An unprecedented and deadly "polar plunge" burst pipes and left millions in Texas shivering without power or clean water for days, AFP reported here on February 18, 2021. The extreme winter weather system wreaked havoc across much of the southern and central United States, reportedly killing at least 40 people and igniting anger in Texas as authorities scrambled to turn the lights back on.
The same video was shared alongside a similar claim on Facebook here and here; and on Twitter here and here.
The claim, however, is false: all of the footage has circulated in reports before 2021.
First clip
The video's first segment was taken from footage published here on the YouTube channel US broadcaster CNN on September 3, 2017. The footage corresponds with the first clip in the misleading video from the beginning to the 44-second mark.
The video's description reads: “President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump visited with Harvey victims at a relief center in Houston. (sic)”
Below is a screenshot comparison of the misleading video (L) and the CNN video (R):
Second clip
The second clip has circulated in reports about former President Trump visiting Texas in 2017 following another storm. It was originally published here on the YouTube account of American television CBS Chicago on September 3, 2017.
The video's description reads: “President Trump made his second trip to Texas since Hurricane Harvey. The president surveyed storm damage and met with storm victims. CBS 2's Danielle Nottingham reports.”
Below is a screenshot comparison of the misleading video (L) and the video from CBS (R):
Third clip
The third clip has circulated in reports since at least 2017. It shows former President Trump giving a speech. It was originally published here by the BBC on August 29, 2017. The video was titled: “Trump on Houston flood: 'Texas can handle anything'”.
Below is a screenshot comparison of the video in the misleading posts (L) and the BBC video (R):
Fourth clip
The fourth clip shows an interview with a man wearing a red hoodie that has circulated online since at least 2019. It was originally published here by WPRI, a US television network, on March 9, 2019.
It is titled: “VIDEO NOW: Tornado Victim Thanks President Trump”. The video description reads: “President is visiting tornado-ravaged Alabama.”
Below is a screenshot comparison of the misleading video (L) and the WPRI video (R):
Fifth clip
The final clip shows Trump stepping off Air Force One. It was originally published here on Ledger-Enquirer, a local newspaper in Columbus, Georgia on March 8, 2019.
The video's caption reads: “President Donald J. Trump and First Lady Melania Trump arrived at Lawson Army Airfield at Ft. Benning, GA, before quickly getting on a helicopter to head to Lee County, Alabama to survey storm damage. BY MIKE HASKEY”.
Below is a screenshot comparison of the misleading video (L) and the Ledger Enquirer video (R):
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