Fact Check: Did Elon Musk say he has evidence that proves Obama was born in Kenya?

WASHINGTON, DC: A rumor has been circulating on social media platforms claiming that Elon Musk has said that he has seen "irrefutable evidence" that former President Barack Obama was born in Kenya. Being a common conspiracy theory that has been debunked before, the claim has sparked speculation, prompting a fact-check.

Claim: Elon Musk has evidence proving Barack Obama was born in Kenya

According to an X post, Elon Musk says he has seen “irrefutable evidence” that Barack Obama was born in Kenya during his recent trip to Africa.

“Honestly, I’d like to get someone like Nick Shirley out there to document what’s there,” Musk allegedly said. “The natives in Barack Obama’s home village are extremely proud that one of their own was a US president.” 

The post further states that Musk believes a real investigative team could uncover everything needed in about a week and is offering to foot the entire bill, allegedly stating, “I’d be happy to pay for him and his team and proper security.” 

Despite skepticism, many in the comments appeared hopeful about the claim’s authenticity, prompting a fact-check.

Fact Check: False, Elon Musk made no such remark

However, the claim is false, as there are no records of the Tesla CEO making such an allegation about Obama’s birth.

There are no social media posts, official announcements, or press releases that suggest Musk made such an allegation about the former president. 

A Google search for the keywords ‘Elon Musk Obama,’ ‘Obama born in Kenya,’ and ‘Elon Musk visit Africa’ returned no credible reports, which, if true, would not go unreported by prominent news outlets.

A fact check by Grok said, “No. There is no record of Elon Musk saying he saw ‘irrefutable evidence' that Obama was born in Kenya, nor any recent Africa trip where he claimed this."

"The post cites no primary source, video, or Musk statement. Obama’s Hawaii birth is confirmed by the state’s official long-form certificate, hospital records, and 1961 newspaper announcements.”

White House debunked Obama's birth rumors in 2011

The claims about Obama's birth have been circulating for more than a decade, and in 2011, the White House released copies of Obama's original long-form birth certificate, seeking to put an end to persistent rumors. 

"We do not have time for this kind of silliness," Obama told reporters at the White House back then. "I've been puzzled at the degree to which this story just kept on going. Normally, I would not comment on something like this," the former president said.

But the country has "some enormous challenges out there" that it will not be effectively meet "if we're distracted."