Fact Check: Did a DNA test prove Malia is not Barack and Michelle Obama's daughter?
WASHINGTON, DC: A rumor has been circulating on social media platforms claiming that filmmaker Malia Obama is devastated after learning through a DNA test that former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama are not her parents.
The claim has sparked questions and speculation, with many calling for a fact-check into the viral rumor.
Claim: DNA test shows Malia Obama is not Barack and Michelle Obama's daughter
A viral Facebook post has claimed that a DNA test administered to Malia Obama as part of a “genealogy research project” has revealed a “zero percent genetic match” to both her parents.
The post was accompanied by an article that stated that the result has left the former First Daughter in an “emotional spiral” and prompted “crisis intervention” from family attorneys and “several days of seclusion.”
The article further stated that the test showed “no shared alleles” with either parent and instead indicated “strong genetic markers” for “Northern European and East Asian ancestry” that “do not correspond to either Obama’s documented heritage.”
The claim drew mixed reactions from online users, with many appearing to believe it while others remain skeptical.
Fact Check: The claim originated as satire
However, the claim is false, as there are no publicly available reports that say DNA tests have revealed that Malia Obama has zero genetic match to her parents.
If the claim were true, prominent news media outlets would have widely covered it, making headlines, given its sensationalism and involvement of the famous Obama family.
Additionally, the claim was posted by a popular Facebook parody account called ‘America’s Last Line Of Defense,’ which describes itself in the bio as ‘Nothing on this page real,’ and has posted several such false and exaggerated claims for the sake of engagement.
Malia Obama's decision to drop her last name
Last year, Malia decided to drop her last name, following which Michelle admitted that she understands why Malia isn't so keen on using her family's last name for her movies.
“Our daughters are 25 and 23. They're young adult women, but they definitely went through a period in their teen years where it was the push away. They’re still doing that,” she said.
“You’re trying to distinguish yourself. It is very important for my kids to feel like they’ve earned what they are getting in the world, and they don’t want people to assume that they don’t work hard, that they’re just naturally handed things,” she added. “They’re very sensitive to that. They want to be their own people.”
