From hedge to headline: Trump’s Iran comment distorted by ‘news’ accounts on social media
President Donald Trump sat down with the New York Post this week for an exclusive interview, talking about all things Israel and Iran. The headline of the piece focuses on recent reporting that when Trump spoke with Benjamin Netanyahu, he called the Israeli prime minister “f—— crazy.”
But it wasn’t the headline that has since gotten social media talking. In fact, it was one line near the end of the article that sent social media users into a frenzy.
‘I think it could be, but I think it’s unlikely’
Speaking about the U.S. naval blockade near the Strait of Hormuz, Trump briefly and in a noncommittal way said he thinks it’s “unlikely” the blockade will be in place through Labor Day.
“I mean, I think it could be [closed through Labor Day], but I think it’s unlikely.” Trump continued, “I think that we’ll have it. I think this will resolve itself fairly quickly.”
It was an elaborate “maybe” — not an official announcement, not a plan, not even a 100% sure statement, and really nothing he hadn’t said before.
But that’s not how social media saw it.
Numerous X accounts that purport to be “news” sources took Trump’s equivocal statement and ran with it, sharing simple posts that read, “Trump: Could have the blockade of Iran lifted by Labor Day.”
The posts contained no context and didn’t quote Trump’s full, somewhat contradictory comment.
But they got plenty of attention.
Consider a post from FinancialJuice, an X account with more than 770,000 followers that says it provides “breaking news headlines for professional day traders.” Its post was viewed more than 108,000 times by late Wednesday morning.
Another post, from First Squawk, has 129,000 views. Plus add the thousands of views on other pages, and we’re looking at hundreds of thousands of X users getting news that, without context, really wasn’t news at all.
The dangers of ‘buzzy’ phrasing
The misleading information did not come from legitimate news organizations, which generally paid little attention to Trump’s comment.
But the posts illustrate the dangers in relying on social media for news. While news organizations are typically mindful of adding context and verifying facts, many social media accounts simply post flashy statements and move on.
Buzzy items like this on social media also play a role in prediction markets, where Americans are betting on when the U.S. and Iran may establish a peace deal.
That specific betting market was trending Wednesday, and posts like those by First Squawk and FinancialJuice could play a part in how people bet.
Beyond affecting how someone bets and how successful they are at those bets, the posts may also add emotional strain and stress to users’ lives.
Round out your reading
- Plea bargains keep America’s courts running. Guilt or innocence barely matters.
- Trump says the media isn’t covering one of his biggest accomplishments. We checked.
- Mike Lindell denied MyPillow was hacked. Its private data is now online.
- Red meat allergy rises with ticks as HHS targets Lyme disease, alpha-gal syndrome.
- We’re building a new Straight Arrow. Help us shape our future by taking our survey.
Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
