No October surprise: Claims Melania Trump said she wants to divorce the former president unfounded

The month before a presidential election sometimes delivers an “October surprise” — potentially game-changing news that breaks in the dwindling days before voters cast their ballots.

As of Oct. 22, the label had been applied to several stories, including a judge’s order unsealing evidence in a case against former President Donald Trump and during the recent — and since resolved — dockworkers strike.

On Facebook, it recently was used to describe a claim that former first lady Melania Trump was separating from her husband. 

“Breaking news,” an Oct. 14 post said. “October surprise. Melania Trump declares that she wants a divorce.”

But anyone familiar with how misinformation spreads on social media should not be surprised that this claim is unfounded and, the Trump campaign said, “totally false.”

This post was 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.)

“Do you people not know how to do your own research,” Donald Trump’s spokesperson Karoline Leavitt, said in a statement responding to PolitiFact’s questions about the post. “She’s been on a widely publicized book tour praising her husband.”

Melania Trump gave her first interviews in more than two years when she appeared on Fox News in September and October to discuss her new memoir “Melania,” released Oct. 8. She praised her husband in both appearances. 

We found no evidence, such as news reports, court filings or public statements, to support the claim that she said she wants a divorce. 

We rate that claim Pants on Fire!