On 29 January 2017, the satirical online publication The Onion tweeted a video titled "5 Things to Know About Sean Spicer," with the text of the tweet spoofing the White House press secretary by asserting that his "role in the Trump administration will be to provide the American public with robust and clearly articulated misinformation":
.@SeanSpicer's role in the Trump administration will be to provide the American public with robust and clearly articulated misinformation. pic.twitter.com/IlRkZPbDZl
— The Onion (@TheOnion) January 29, 2017
In an unusual development, Spicer himself retweeted The Onion's tweet, adding:
You nailed it. Period! https://t.co/AUmS1C222b
— Sean Spicer (@seanspicer) January 29, 2017
The popularity of Sean Spicer's retweet as a screenshot on social media and blogs, coupled with the prevalence of spoofed or fabricated tweets, led to some confusion about its legitimacy. Spicer did indeed retweet The Onion item, although his intent in sharing and commenting on it is unclear.