Fact Check: Trump said he would run as a Republican because they are dumb or easy to fool

Fact Check: "Trump said he would run as a Republican because they are dumb or easy to fool"

What We Know

The claim that Donald Trump stated he would run as a Republican because they are "the dumbest group of voters in the country" is widely circulated but has been debunked. This alleged quote is attributed to a 1998 interview with People magazine, where Trump supposedly said, "If I were to run, I’d run as a Republican. They’re the dumbest group of voters in the country. They believe anything on Fox News. I could lie and they’d still eat it up" (source-4). However, extensive searches of the People magazine archives have found no evidence of this quote, nor could a representative of the magazine confirm its existence (source-6).

Furthermore, the claim appears to be part of a broader trend of misinformation surrounding Trump, where fabricated quotes are often attributed to him to provoke outrage or satire (source-2).

Analysis

The sources that address this claim provide a clear consensus: the quote is fabricated. The fact-checking website Snopes, which is known for its rigorous verification processes, confirms that the alleged quote does not exist in any credible source, including People magazine (source-6). Additionally, a Reuters fact-check corroborates this by stating that the meme claiming Trump made these remarks is false (source-1).

The reliability of the sources used to debunk this claim is high. Snopes and Reuters are both reputable fact-checking organizations that adhere to strict standards of evidence and verification. The original meme's propagation across social media platforms, often without context or verification, highlights the challenges of misinformation in the digital age.

Moreover, the context surrounding Trump's comments in the late 1990s primarily revolved around his personal life and potential political aspirations, rather than any definitive statements about political party voters (source-4).

Conclusion

The claim that Donald Trump said he would run as a Republican because they are "dumb or easy to fool" is False. The supposed quote has been thoroughly debunked by multiple credible sources, which found no evidence of its existence in any legitimate publication. This reflects a broader issue of misinformation, where fabricated quotes are often attributed to public figures without substantiation.

Fact Check: Trump said he would run as a Republican because they are dumb or easy to fool