Fact Check: Is Trump's post showing a massive crowd for ‘Melania’ movie real?
WASHINGTON, DC: Following the release of the documentary film 'Melania,' based on First Lady Melania Trump, a post attributed to President Donald Trump has been circulating on social media, showing a massive crowd that lined up to watch the film. The post has sparked speculations about its authenticity. Let us fact-check the claim.
Claim: Donald Trump posted a photo showing a massive crowd for the film 'Melania'
The alleged post surfaced in the form of a screenshot showing a post by Trump on his official Truth Social handle, which includes the picture of a huge crowd, accompanied by a caption saying, “PATRIOTS EVERYWHERE ARE LINING UP IN HYUGE NUMBERS TO SEE 'MELANIA.’"
The claim is being circulated across various social media platforms, including X, Facebook, Reddit, and Threads.
A post on Facebook even garnered more than 100,000 views, with the comment section appearing to believe the claim was true.
Fact Check: The post originated as a satire
The claim, however, is false as the viral post on Facebook is from a parody account called ‘Minnesota Department of Propaganda’ that often creates such posts as satire for the sake of engagement.
A search on the Trump-owned social media platform Truth Social for the caption as mentioned in the viral image generates no results.
Moreover, the photograph in the post is from Minnesota, where tens of thousands of people marched in downtown Minneapolis in subzero temperatures to protest the massive presence of ICE agents over the past several weeks.
The photo was taken by Nicole Neri of the news outlet 'Minnesota Reformer' on January 23.
Great opening for a documentary movie
The documentary movie is shaping up to post the strongest opening for a documentary in a decade. Estimates point to better-than-expected $8 million or more in its opening frame.
The solid start follows a targeted campaign aimed squarely at older conservatives, capped by a Thursday night premiere in Washington, DC, that was attended by Trump and filled with loyalists.
The showing comes as a surprise, given the widespread belief that 'Melania' was headed for a soft opening.
That narrative took hold after allegedly empty seat maps made the rounds online, suggesting minimal interest in theaters nationwide. Some even branded the film a bomb before it had a chance to play.
