A video shared on social media Twitter by President Donald Trump shows Joe Biden at an event in Florida, but was digitally altered to replace the song “Despacito” (which the Democratic candidate played on his phone) with the iconic anti-police violence song ‘Fuck tha Police‘.
What is this all about? https://t.co/AAmBGgHhyR
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 16, 2020
“Joe Biden only has ONE thing to say and it’s not good. Listen to this,” notes a September 15 tweet, which includes the video, which Trump first shared with the commentary “What’s this all about?” and then with the message “China is is drooling. You can’t believe this!”
China is drooling. They can’t believe this! https://t.co/AAmBGgHhyR
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 16, 2020
These Trump tweets have gotten tens of thousands of retweets.
The original tweet and account were suspended some time later
Trump has sought to show Biden as the anti-police candidate and link him to the violence, looting and premeditated fires that have occurred during some mostly peaceful protests against racism and police abuses in the United States.
This manipulated video is part of that narrative.
In the altered video, Biden says, “I only have one thing to say. Wait a minute,” after which the 1988 hip-hop classic N.W.A. begins to play, while the Democrat smiles and moves to the sound of music.
But reviewing the original recording of Hispanic Heritage Month event (which was shared on Twitter by Deputy Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris), biden actually played ‘Despacito‘, the 2017 song by Puerto Rican singer Luis Fonsi, who had just introduced the candidate at the event.
The account that posted the altered video described Trump as “our hero” after the president shared it in a message on his account, which Twitter labeled “altered media content.”
“Our hero, president @realDonaldTrump shared one of our videos and this is one of the most incredible sensations. Thank you very much”
He tweeted @TheUnitedSpot1.
Manipulated videos: The Donald Trump campaigning strategy?
Negative campaigning has been common in American politics for a long time, but the truth is that Trump and his team have openly shared, several times, digitally altered images in the 2020 contest, and that’s new.
AFP Fact Check has already demented several manipulated and misleading videos Trump shared about Biden and former Democratic presidential president Tom Steyer, as well as a campaign commercial that included manipulated images of his Democratic rival.
