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| - A rumor circulating online in late December 2024 claimed U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert said Egypt owns the Panama Canal. We received emails from readers asking whether the Colorado Republican genuinely made the statement.
For example, one reader emailed, "I keep seeing references to Lauren Boebert saying it is important to buy the Panama Canal from Egypt." Other readers asked, "Did Lauren Boebert say that we should buy the Panama Canal from Egypt?," and, "Who controls the Panama Canal?" (Panama owns the passage.)
Facebook, Threads, and X users shared the rumor of the purported Boebert quote. Some of the posts read, "The dumbest thing you'll hear today! Everyone's favorite scholar Lauren Boebert dropped a brilliant observation. 'Because of the political instability in the Middle East, it's important to buy the Panama Canal from Egypt.' Your thoughts?"
Actor Henry Winkler sarcastically remarked (archived) of the quote from his X account, "Send Ms. B to find it and seal the deal. A perfect representative."
Some readers seemed to interpret the rumor as a factual recounting of real-life events. However, we concluded the rumor Boebert said Egypt owns the Panama Canal originated from the account of an X user who publishes satirical content.
A search of Google News located no reports of Boebert saying Egypt owns the Panama Canal. Instead, our search of Google's traditional search engine found several users on X all sharing a single Dec. 24 post (archived) from @TheFungi669. The user's name displayed as "Captain Obvious™️."
The bio for @TheFungi669 read, "As my high IQ followers know, I have never faked a sarcasm." The user previously posted (archived) on Sept. 27, "I have jokes. But they're always sprinkled with political satire." They also said (archived) on June 10, 2023, "It's getting to the point where I can't tell if my tweets are real or satire."
We contacted @TheFungi669 on X to ask about the reaction to their post and will update this article if we receive a response.
Trump's Remarks on Panama Canal
The fictional story about the fake Boebert quote spread after U.S. President-elect Donald Trump spoke about the Panama Canal at Turning Point USA's AmericaFest 2024 in Phoenix. On Dec. 22, Trump said of Panama, "We're being ripped off at the Panama Canal like we're being ripped off everywhere else." Reuters reported he also warned of Chinese influence in the passage.
Three days later, on Christmas, Trump alleged (archived) on his Truth Social platform that Chinese soldiers managed the Panama Canal. The New York Times reported "it is unclear what prompted Mr. Trump's recent obsession with the Panama Canal," also calling the rumor of Chinese soldiers operating the canal "false" and "inaccurate." (The Panama Canal Authority manages, operates and maintains the passage.)
Snopes has addressed similar satirical claims about Boebert in the past, including the assertion she said the moon is more useful than the sun and a rumor she shot herself in the foot while aiming at a Chinese spy balloon in early 2023.
For background, here is why we alert readers to rumors created by sources calling their output humorous or satirical.
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