Fact Check: Did Obama participate in 'ritualistic’ revelry on Epstein's island?
WASHINGTON,DC: A viral social media post on November 20, 2025, claimed that newly released US government files related to the late Jeffrey Epstein exposed former President Barack Obama as a participant in "ritualistic" revelry on Epstein's private island, Little St. James.
But how much truth does this claim hold? Let’s break it down.
Claim: Barack Obama participated in ritualistic revelry on Epstein's island
An online rumor circulating in November 2025 suggested that an "Epstein bombshell" implicated former President Barack Obama in a "ritualistic" event on Jeffrey Epstein's infamous Little St. James island in the US Virgin Islands. The rumor also claimed that Newsmax TV had reported the story.
The claim gained traction on social media shortly after President Donald Trump signed a bill on November 19 to unseal Jeffrey Epstein's case files.
It originated from the social media accounts of Jonathan Gregory, @newsmax.baby, on both Facebook and Instagram. Gregory further disseminated the story through an Instagram video with a voiceover that appeared AI-generated. Other users copied the content, sharing it across platforms like Facebook and X.
Gregory's archived Facebook post began with a caption, "Epstein Bombshell: Eyewitnesses Expose Obama's Ritualistic Orgy Empire on Pedophile Island – Trump's DOJ Poised to Crush the Elite Cover-Up! By Jonathan Gregory, Washington D.C. - November 20, 2025
Freshly unsealed Epstein files have detonated a political earthquake, unveiling multiple eyewitness testimonies that place former President Barack Obama at the epicenter of depraved sexual escapades on Little St. James, Epstein's infamous island lair. Survivors and insiders recount Obama's repeated visits involving bisexual orgies with both men and women, orchestrated as twisted 'rites of passage' for ambitious Democrats, humiliating initiations laced with dominance and degradation to bind rising stars in Congress and beyond to the shadowy power structure. These accounts paint Obama not as a bystander but as the commanding figurehead, enforcing ritualistic acts of submission that ensured loyalty in the elite cabal, far eclipsing the distractions peddled by complicit media outlets desperate to shield their darling from accountability.”
The caption ended with, "With Trump commanding the ship, the days of ritualistic cover-ups are numbered, justice for the victims starts now, and the swamp's days of unchecked indulgence are over."
Fact Check: Barack Obama did not take part in a ritual on Epstein’s island
The claim that Barack Obama participated in a "ritualistic" event on Epstein's island is false. It originated as a satirical post by Jonathan Gregory, an online content producer using the handle @newsmax.baby.
The Facebook post and Instagram video featured AI-like narration and dramatic language, such as the closing line about "the swamp's days of unchecked indulgence." Although the post did not explicitly label itself as satire, Gregory's prior content and profile listed him as a comedian.
No credible media outlets, including Newsmax, reported such an event. Searches across major news engines confirm the claim is fabricated. Given Obama's prominence, any verified involvement would have been widely reported.
Barack Obama targeted by previous false divorce and affair rumors
Earlier in 2025, Obama faced social media rumors about his marriage to Michelle Obama, including false claims of an impending divorce and unverified links to actress Jennifer Aniston. 
Michelle Obama addressed these rumors on her podcast, emphasizing that much of the online chatter was "made up" and should be disregarded.
