Truth behind viral video showing Trump ‘banning Pride Month’

A video claiming to show Donald Trump announcing the cancellation of Pride Month has gone viral, but it’s actually a deepfake. In the video, Trump is shown in the Oval Office declaring Pride Month cancelled and instead calling it “Confidence Month” or just “June,” followed by offensive homophobic remarks. Despite the video’s realism, it ends with a message stating, “This is a deepfake, but let people dream,” clarifying it’s fake. The video was created by a satirical account named Maverick Alexander, who has 40,000 followers. Trump has not made any such statements about Pride Month’s cancellation.

Trump previously acknowledged Pride Month in 2019, tweeting support for the LGBTQ+ community and launching a global campaign to decriminalise homosexuality. However, his administration rolled back protections for transgender Americans in 2020 and banned transgender athletes from women’s sports during his second term. This history may have contributed to some people believing the video was real. If you’re impacted by LGBTQ+ issues and want to talk, you can contact the LGBT Foundation for confidential support.