Fact Check: Did Newsom donate $12M to feed children at Obama’s request?
WASHINGTON, DC: A recently circulated online rumor claimed that California Governor Gavin Newsom donated $12 million to feed children.
As per viral posts, Newsom donated the money after seeing that former President Barack Obama was promoting the initiative. But is there any truth to this? Let us find out below.
Claim: Newsom donated $12M to feed children because Obama asked
On December 3, a Facebook page named Capitol Spotlight posted photos of Gavin Newsom and Barack Obama, accompanied by text that read, "Six hours. That's all it took.... Late Thursday night, Obama posted four quiet lines: Too many kids are going to sleep hungry tonight. If you're able, help fix it. No link. No fanfare. Just a plea from a man who still feels every empty stomach like it's his own."
Meanwhile, other Facebook users also shared the same claim, generally featuring identical text. Many of the posts included links in the top comments directing users to articles hosted on WordPress blogs.
Fact Check: False, no credible evidence to back the claim
The claims made in the online rumor are false, as there is no credible evidence that Gavin Newsom donated $12 million to feed children after seeing Barack Obama promote the initiative.
Searches on Google and Bing show no news outlets reporting on Newsom’s supposed donation. If the rumor were true, major media organizations would have widely covered it. Snopes also reported that there was no such post by Obama that could have inspired Newsom, contrary to the viral claim.
Additionally, the rumor names a charity called the “American Community Relief Initiative” as the recipient of Newsom’s donation, but no such charity exists.
The story also claims the donation took place in Indiana, at “a nondescript community center on the south side of South Bend.” However, Newsom has no ties to Indiana, further undermining the validity of the rumor.
White House rebukes Gavin Newsom over wildfire aid claims
The White House on December 5 slammed Gavin Newsom after he claimed that the Trump administration refused to meet with him during a Washington trip intended to secure additional Los Angeles wildfire recovery aid.
White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said Newsom "has no idea what he’s talking about" and also used Trump’s mocking nickname for the governor, "Newscum." Meanwhile, since January, California has received more than $7 billion in federal funds after the Palisades and Eaton fires destroyed thousands of acres and high-value homes. Despite this, Newsom is seeking even more aid, per the New York Post.
Jackson said, "President Trump’s historic leadership following the Los Angeles wildfires led to the fastest hazardous debris removal operation in history. This played a critical role in helping communities recover from tragedy. And when Democrat politicians and bureaucrats said something like this was impossible, President Trump found a solution."
This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.
