Fact Check

After Grotesque Trump Audio Revealed, Melania Announces She's Backing Hillary

Fake news reports Donald Trump's wife has switched her allegiance to Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.

Published Oct. 7, 2016

Claim:
Melania Trump has announced she's endorsing Hillary Clinton.

On 7 October 2016, after a tape surfaced that captured Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump discussing women in vulgar terms during the 2005 taping of a segment for "Access Hollywood," the Free Wood Post web site published an article reporting that Trump's wife Melania was endorsing Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton:

It looks as though Donald Trump’s wife Melania has finally had enough of his shenanigans. No, she’s not divorcing him, but she’s also not backing him for president anymore after what was just revealed.

In a phone call to Free Wood Post, Melania said:

“I’ve come to you because of your accuracy in reporting. You’ll tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth. It’s as simple as this. After listening to my husband making those comments about sexually assaulting other women without their permission, I simply cannot stand by and support him for president any longer. I may still have to put up with him, but America shouldn’t have to. That is why I’m announcing my endorsement of Hillary Clinton. Yes, it’s true. I’m with her.”

But all of this — all the parts about Melania, at least — was just a spoof from the Free Wood Post, a site that openly carries a disclaimer identifying all of its content as satirical in nature:

Free Wood Post is a news and political satire web publication, which may or may not use real names, often in semi-real or mostly fictitious ways. All news articles contained within FreeWoodPost.com are fiction, and presumably fake news.

Any resemblance to the truth is purely coincidental, except for all references to politicians and/or celebrities, in which case they are based on real people, but still based almost entirely in fiction.

David Mikkelson founded the site now known as snopes.com back in 1994.