FACT CHECK: Was A Man Denied Healthcare For Wearing A ‘MAGA’ Hat?

February 14th, 2025
WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 20: A Pro-Trump supporter holding a MAGA hat stands outside of the United States Capitol before the inauguration of the 47th President of the United States of America, Donald J. Trump on January 20, 2025 in Washington, DC. Cold temperatures have forced the ceremony inside, but spectators still gather outside and around the city to celebrate. (Photo by Jim Vondruska/Getty Images)

A viral video shared on TikTok claims to show a man purportedly being denied healthcare for wearing a “Make America Great Again” hat.

 

Verdict: False

A comment shared on the video indicates it is a “skit” and not a genuine scenario. The video was originally shared on TikTok by user @thomasgibson31.

Fact Check:

President Donald Trump greeted Marc Fogel, an American teacher held in Russia since 2021, at the White House on Feb. 11, according to CBS News. Fogel called Trump a “hero” for negotiating his release, the outlet reported.

The TikTok video, which has garnered over 90,000 likes as of writing, claims to show a man purportedly being denied healthcare for wearing a “Make America Great Again” hat. In the video, the man appears to get into an argument with the doctor, who asks him to remove the hat if he wants to receive healthcare. The man’s wife, who appears to be filming the alleged incident, also fights with the doctor.

The claim is false. A comment shared on the video indicates it is a “skit” and not a genuine scenario. The comment also references TikTok user @thomasgibson31. Check Your Fact found that the video originally stems from this user’s account and his profile features multiple skit videos.

Likewise, a second look at the healthcare refusal skit reveals both the man playing the patient and the woman playing the doctor can be seen laughing while acting out the hypothetical scenario. The video also appears to be flipped, as the writing on the man’s hat is backward.

In addition, Trump has not publicly commented on the claim via his personal or government X accounts or his TRUTH Social account. (RELATED: No, E! News Did Not Report USAID Paid Celebrities Millions To Visit Ukraine)

Check Your Fact did not find any credible news reports to support the claim, either. Actually, the opposite is true. On Feb. 11, Lead Stories debunked the claim. The outlet also indicated that the video is a skit, not a genuine scenario, and traced the clip back to the same TikTok account.

This is not the first time a false claim has circulated online. Check Your Fact previously debunked a Facebook post claiming John Bolton, Trump’s national security advisor from 2018 to 2019, was purportedly convicted of treason and executed at Guantanamo Bay.

Christine Sellers

Fact Check Reporter