Fake GOP convention site outranks RNC's own page and sends visitors somewhere bizarre
DALLAS, TEXAS: A fake website promoting the Republican National Committee's upcoming Dallas midterm convention rose prominently in Google results before redirecting visitors to the Justice Department’s online collection of Jeffrey Epstein records.
The domain, gopdallas2026.com, resembled an event information page and carried details about registration, VIP experiences and the venue.
The site was not operated by the RNC, and its creator has not been publicly confirmed.
The episode comes days before the September 9-10 gathering, which is being held as Republicans prepare for the November midterm elections.
Fake site climbs Google search results
The lookalike website appeared prominently when users searched for information about the Republican convention, at times ranking above the RNC’s official gopconvention.com.
Archived versions showed an image of the American Airlines Center, event information and a form inviting visitors to receive updates.
A disclaimer at the bottom said the site was an independent informational resource and was not affiliated with the RNC, the convention, the arena, or any official entity.
The domain was registered through GoDaddy on July 7, according to NBC News, while the owner’s identity remained private.
Nearly 140 other websites had linked to the domain before the redirect became widely noticed.
Visitors suddenly landed on the Epstein files
By Friday, clicking the address sent users to the Justice Department’s Epstein Library instead of convention information.
The database contains records concerning Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted offender who died in federal custody in 2019.
The redirect brought the Epstein controversy back into the spotlight as Republicans prepared for their Dallas gathering.
Trump has faced repeated questions over the government’s handling and release of Epstein-related records.
He has said his relationship with Epstein ended years ago and has denied wrongdoing.
The appearance of a person’s name in released records does not itself establish criminal conduct.
The RNC responded by directing users to its official website and calling reports about the site “FAKE NEWS!”
RNC spokesperson Zach Parkinson also blamed Democrats, writing that they were too broke to hold their own midterm convention and had instead created a fake website.
There is no public evidence establishing who created the site.
Dallas convention begins next week
The RNC convention is scheduled for September 9 and 10 at the American Airlines Center.
The party describes it as its first national midterm convention, bringing together Republican officials, delegates, activists, donors and supporters.
Trump and Vice President JD Vance are among the featured speakers.
The gathering is intended to promote Republican candidates and the administration’s agenda before the November 3 midterm elections.
Republicans are seeking to retain control of Congress, while Democrats are campaigning to take one or both chambers.
The lookalike website was later taken offline or made private, according to local reports.
The official convention website remains gopconvention.com.
