A video shared on X purports to show 2024 presumptive Republican nominee and former President Donald Trump being slapped by an Iranian Kurdish man at a recent campaign rally.
Verdict: False
The video is digitally edited and shows a 2016 campaign rally in Dayton, Ohio. Secret Service agents intervened after a protestor rushed the stage while then-candidate Trump delivered a speech, according to a clip shared on YouTube by CBS News.
Fact Check:
Trump has sued ABC News and anchor George Stephanopoulos for defamation after Stephanopoulos allegedly said Trump had “been found liable for rape” during a recent interview with Republican South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace, according to The Hill. Stephanopoulos made the remark while questioning Mace, a sexual assault survivor, about her endorsement of Trump, the outlet reported.
“Donald Trump received a strong slap from an Iranian Kurdish young man during his speech yesterday that he will not forget for the rest of his life. The story is that immediately before the speech, Donald Trump mocked and ridiculed an Iranian woman wearing a Kurdish dress,” the X video’s caption claims. In the video, Trump delivers a speech at a campaign rally when the man appears to slap him before running off stage. Secret Service agents then intervene to try and restore order to the rally.
The video is digitally altered, however. The original video, shared on YouTube by CBS News, shows an incident at a 2016 campaign rally in Dayton, Ohio, where a protestor rushed the stage during then-candidate Trump’s remarks.
“Secret Service agents rushed to protect Donald Trump Saturday as a protester at his Vandalia, OH rally tried to climb on stage. Trump said he was ‘ready’ to take him on but preferred to have security handle the disruption,” the video’s description reads.
Likewise, Check Your Fact found no credible news reports supporting the claim. In fact, the opposite is true. Misbar also debunked the claim via a Mar. 18 article.
Additionally, the 2024 Republican nominee and former president has not publicly commented on the digitally edited X video.
Although the clip is digitally edited and shows a campaign rally from 2016, Trump delivered remarks in Dayton, Ohio, on Mar. 16, where he endorsed Republican Senate candidate Bernie Moreno ahead of the state’s Mar. 19 primary election. (RELATED: Post Claims All Georgia Charges Against Trump Were Dismissed)
Check Your Fact has contacted a Trump spokesperson for comment and will update this piece accordingly if one is received.