A load of misinformation: Former President Donald Trump wasn’t sitting on a towel on ‘Fox & Friends’


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Social media has become something of a wasteland lately with bowel movement misinformation. 

We’ve already fact-checked and found false claims that former President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social, “I don’t poop myself,” and that journalist Bob Woodward posted on X that Trump wears adult diapers. 

Now some Threads users are sharing an Oct. 18 Fox News’ “Fox & Friends” episode as evidence of incontinence.

“Please note the black towel they have him sitting on,” one post said, sharing an image of Trump on the set’s couch. “They don’t want to stain the sofa.”

“Why did DonOld have to sit on a towel on Fox & Friends sofa?” another post said. “No one else did!”

These posts were flagged as part of Meta’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram and Threads.)

The image of Trump on the show’s set shows him sitting on his own blue jacket, not a black towel. This is especially clear in the beginning of the segment, posted on YouTube, in which Trump and the show’s hosts are standing and greeting each other before sitting down. 

Trump sits on the cream-colored couch — no towel beneath him — and his jacket fans out on either side of him.

Fox News confirmed to PolitiFact in a statement that the images of Trump show his jacket, not a towel.

We rate claims this photo shows Trump sitting on a black towel so he wouldn’t “stain the sofa” Pants on Fire! 

 

Truth-o-meter Ruling

Pants on Fire!

If your time is short

  • Images show former President Donald Trump sitting on the "Fox & Friends" set with his jacket fanned on either side of him. He’s not sitting on a black towel so he won’t "stain the sofa," as some social media posts have claimed.

Statement

Photo shows former President Donald Trump sitting on a black towel on “Fox & Friends” because “they don’t want him to stain the sofa.”

Context

a Threads post

Speaker/Target

Targets: Donald Trump

Statement Date

October 18, 2024
Our Sources

Threads post, Oct. 18, 2024

Threads post, Oct. 18, 2024

Threads post, Oct. 18, 2024

X post, Oct. 18, 2024

X post, Oct. 18, 2024

YouTube, Trump says he was 'surprised' Kamala Harris skipped Al Smith dinner: 'Terrible,’ Oct. 18, 2024

Statement from Fox News, Oct. 21, 2024

 

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