Fact Check: Does the viral birth certificate show Barack Obama was not born in the US?
WASHINGTON, DC: Following the inauguration of the Obama Presidential Center, an image of a certificate began circulating on social media platforms with the claim that it proves former President Barack Obama was not born in the United States, sparking scrutiny. Let us analyze the alleged certificate and fact-check it.
Claim: Barack Obama was not born in the US and his birth certificate was forged
A viral X (formerly Twitter) post claims to show old Fox 10 Phoenix news footage comparing two versions of Barack Obama's birth certificate, highlighting alleged discrepancies like mismatched numbers and text layers to allege it was altered.
Caption of the post reads, "Wow! About time! The media is showing how Obama's birth certificate was changed! He was never born in the US so was never a real president! Everything he signed will be reversed!"
Replies to the post reflect ongoing debate, with some users asserting ineligibility and calling for reversal of Obama's actions, while others reference Hawaii officials' verification and note that the footage predates 2026.
The post has been retweeted several times and has garnered more than a hundred thousand views as of this writing.
Fact Check: Obama White House debunked the claim in 2011
The post, however, is fake and is a revival of the longtime conspiracy theory that Obama was not born in the US and was not eligible to become the president.
In response to the claims, the White House in 2011 released copies of Obama's original long-form birth certificate, seeking to put an end to persistent rumors.
The speculation was possibly based on the fact that his father, Barack Obama Sr, was born in Kenya.
"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 able to effectively meet "if we're distracted."
Obama Presidential Center opens in Chicago
The claim resurfaced following the opening of the Obama Presidential Center, a museum, library, and education project in Chicago to commemorate the presidency of Obama.
On Friday, June 19, former President Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama surprised the first 100 visitors to walk through the doors of the new center
The building includes a towering museum that covers the political and personal realms of the nation's first Black president and first lady, while public spaces include a branch of the Chicago Public Library, a playground and athletic center, basketball courts, and a picnic area with grills.
