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| - FACT CHECK: Did Donald Trump Issue A Statement Calling Mike Pence ‘Weak’ For Not Overturning The 2020 Election?
An image shared on Facebook allegedly shows a statement put out by former President Donald Trump calling former Vice President Mike Pence “weak” for failing to overturn the results of the 2020 election.
Verdict: False
There is no evidence Trump released the statement. The fabricated press release was created as a joke.
Fact Check:
While speaking at a conservative conference near Orlando, Florida last week, Pence claimed he had no authority to change the outcome of the 2020 election, according to The New York Times. “President Trump is wrong,” said Pence. “I had no right to overturn the election.” Trump has continually asserted Pence could have done so.
Shortly after Pence’s statement, an alleged press release from Trump began circulating on social media. (RELATED: Does This Image Show A Genuine Trump Press Release About His Canceled Jan. 6 Press Conference?)
“Many people are saying Vice President Mike Pence said I was wrong about overturning the election,” reads the statement. “He’s WRONG. He could have OVERTURNED the Election! Of course he said this at a Federalist Society event with NO press. He won’t say it in public because he is WEAK!”
The alleged press release, however, could not be found on Trump’s official website. Trump did release a Feb. 4 statement in response to Pence’s remarks, but it does not resemble the message being shared on social media.
“Just saw Mike Pence’s statement on the fact that he had no right to do anything with respect to the Electoral Vote Count, other than being an automatic conveyor belt for the Old Crow Mitch McConnell to get Biden elected President as quickly as possible,” read’s Trump’s genuine message, in part. At no point in the statement does Trump call Pence “weak.”
The purported press release being shared on social media appears to be fake. A reverse image search revealed it originated with a Twitter account belonging to comedian Gabe Sanchez, who posted it Feb. 4 with the caption, “Trump doesn’t seem happy with Mike Pence right now.” The post has nearly 400 retweets.
Trump doesn’t seem happy with Mike Pence right now pic.twitter.com/2n1pS4Qkwy
— Gabe Sanchez (@iamgabesanchez) February 4, 2022
Sanchez confirmed in an Instagram message to Check Your Fact that he created the press release as a joke.
“As soon as Mike Pence publicly said ‘Trump is wrong’ about overturning the 2020 election, I knew Trump would throw a tantrum and respond with a press release,” said Sanchez. “I made a parody press release, shared it with a few people, and within minutes, it was everywhere on Twitter.”
This is not the first time a fake Trump press release has gone viral. In January 2022, Check Your Fact debunked a Facebook image showing an alleged Trump press release explaining the reason behind the cancellation of his Jan. 6 press conference.
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