Americans are learning a lot about Rep. Mike Johnson, R-La., since his fellow Republicans named him speaker Oct. 25. But a viral rumor about Johnson and former adult film star Stormy Daniels is not credible.
“BREAKING FOX NEWS: Stormy Daniels admits to having a business relationship with Speaker Mike Johnson,” said the Nov. 11 X post that got more than 1 million views and included side-by-side headshots of Johnson and Daniels.
Screenshots of the post quickly spread across Facebook, X, and TikTok with no sign they were posing as anything other than actual news.
(Screenshot of X post)
But the post is not news — neither “breaking” nor “developing.” It was created as satire. The X account that first posted the claim, @PatMaguire10, describes itself as an “unfiltered parody account.” Other social media users saw the post and reshared it without that disclaimer.
There are no articles from Fox News reporting this story. And a Fox News spokesperson confirmed the network never reported this.
Daniels became a household name in 2018 after she said she had sex with President Donald Trump in 2006 while he was married. Trump has repeatedly denied the claims.
Trump in April pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in New York, charges that prosecutors said stemmed from a 2016 “hush money” payment to Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford.
We rate the claim that Fox News reported on a “business relationship” between Johnson and Daniels False.
Truth-o-meter Ruling
IF YOUR TIME IS SHORT
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The post was shared as satire by a self-described parody account.
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A Fox News spokesperson confirmed that the network never reported on a "business relationship" between Mike Johnson and former adult film actor Stormy Daniels.
Statement
Context
a postSpeaker/Target
Statement Date
Our Sources
Email interview with Connor Smith, spokesperson for Fox News, Nov. 15, 2023
X post (archived), Nov. 11, 2023
Facebook post, Nov. 12, 2023
X post, Nov. 12, 2023
TikTok, Nov. 12, 2023
X post, Nov. 13, 2023
X profile, accessed Nov 15, 2023
X post, Nov. 13, 2023
X post, Nov. 15, 2023
X post, Nov 11, 2023
Reuters, "Who is Stormy Daniels and how is she involved in Donald Trump indictment?," March 31, 2023
CBS News, "Original 60 Minutes Stormy Daniels interview: Full video and transcript of Anderson Cooper discussing Daniels' alleged Donald Trump affair," Aug 22, 2018
PolitiFact, "Timeline: What Donald Trump has said about Stormy Daniels and $130,000 payment,"March 21, 2023
PolitiFact, "The $130,000 Stormy Daniels payoff: Was it a campaign expenditure?" May 3, 2018
PolitiFact, "Read the 34 felony charges in the Donald Trump indictment over the Stormy Daniels payoff," April 4, 2023
Rolling Stone, "Mike Johnson Admits He and His Son Monitor Each Other's Porn Intake in Resurfaced Video," Nov. 5, 2023
NBC News, "New House speaker's views on LGBTQ issues come under fresh scrutiny," Oct. 26, 2023
Snopes, "Did Stormy Daniels Admit to Having a 'Business Relationship' with House Speaker Mike Johnson?," Nov 14, 2023
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