Fact Check: Did Trump recognize a White House janitor retiring after 22 years of service?
WASHINGTON, DC: A rumor is circulating on social media platforms claiming President Donald Trump recognized a White House janitor retiring after 22 years of service. The claim surfaced ahead of the much-anticipated midterm election, sparking mixed reactions online, with many skeptical and calling for a fact-check.
Claim: Donald Trump recognized a retiring White House janitor
The claim appeared as a long Facebook post, which began by stating, “NIGHT UPDATE | USA, a White House janitor who just retired after 22 years of service went to the media on his very last day — and completely EXPOSED Donald Trump. And what he revealed about what Trump has done left the entire internet speechless.”
It went on to explain, “This man spent 22 years inside the White House. Cleaning the hallways that world leaders walked through. Mopping the floors outside the Oval Office. Working quietly, invisibly, faithfully — through multiple presidencies — and not once did any of it make the news."
"Nobody knew his name. Nobody stopped to ask. Until his very last day. Trump found out it was his last day — and stopped everything. He walked out of whatever meeting he was in."
"Walked down that hallway. Found this man. And stood in front of him — not as a President standing before a janitor — but as one human being standing before another human being who had given 22 years of his life to something bigger than himself.”
The post went on to say, “He shook his hand. Looked him directly in the eyes. And said words so personal, so warm, so genuinely from the heart — that this man — this tough, quiet 22-year veteran who had seen everything inside those walls — broke down completely. Right there in the hallway. In front of everyone.”
Fact Check: The story is fictional
The claim, however, is false, as the story is fictional and a near-identical story was spread in August.
There are no official statements, announcements, or social media posts from the president or the White House about the occurrence of such an event.
If the claim were true, prominent media outlets would have widely covered the janitor’s account, as he would supposedly speak to the media about his encounter with Trump.
An analysis of the post using an Artificial Intelligence detector tool determined that 90% of the text was directly AI-generated.
The story likely surfaced to boost Trump and Republicans, as they are projected to lose the upcoming election.
