The New York Times never published this video, and its real existence has not been confirmed online, despite the claim that it was shown in New York city centre. The footage shown in the video does not match the indicated text prompt, which alludes to editing. In addition, the video first appeared on a pro-Russian Telegram channel and was shared exclusively though propaganda sources, which confirms its fake origin.
A fabricated audio clip is going viral on social media, in which Donald Trump Jr. allegedly voices his support for Russia on his "Triggered with Don Jr." podcast. In the clip, US President Donald Trump's son appears to say that "the US should have sent weapons to Russia, not Ukraine". We debunk these claims in this edition of Truth or Fake.
A post shared on X claims to show Russians ambushing American fighters in Ukraine.
Verdict: False
The video originates from an airsoft creator. There is no indication it was taken in Ukraine.
Audio purportedly of Donald Trump Jr using his podcast to say the United States should have sent weapons to Russia instead of Ukraine is spreading widely online, with an official Democratic National Committee account among those that shared and deleted it. But the clip is fake, spokesmen for the US president's son and video platform Rumble told AFP. A media forensics expert said the quote -- which is not in the original episode -- appears to be the product of artificial intelligence technology. [...]
"The audio in question, which was amplified by the official X account of the DNC, along with countless other major anti-Trump accounts, is 100 percent fake," a Trump Jr spokesman told AFP in a February 26 statement. "It appears to be an AI-generated deep fake."
Russia's war against Ukraine is not only a military confrontation, but Moscow is also deliberately targetting the Ukrainian president with disinformation and narratives that seek to discredit him. In early February 2025, posts on social media falsely claimed that Volodymyr Zelensky had purchased a property known as the Eagle's Nest in Berchtesgaden in the southern German state of Bavaria. However, the site -- which was closely associated with the Nazis during World War II and is a popular tourist destination even today -- is still owned by the state authorities. Furthermore, the false claims seem to have originated from a Russian disinformation network.
The video was digitally created, likely using AI-powered software to generate synthetic audio mimicking Trump Jr.'s voice.
Disinformation targeting Ukraine and its leader Volodymyr Zelensky is surging as US President Donald Trump's shift on the war frays relations with Kyiv and threatens to cripple support for the battle-worn nation. [...]
Joseph Bodnar, a researcher at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue (archived here), said the Russian influence efforts are focused "on fostering animosity between the Trump and Zelensky administrations."
"Russia wants to convince US negotiators that Ukraine is their enemy, not their partner. It's a means for the Kremlin to extract favorable terms in whatever peace settlement comes."
After US media reported Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin had spoken on the phone about ending the Ukraine war, social media users shared a video claiming it shows the US leader giving details of the call. Experts told AFP the video appears to be a deepfake. While neither Washington nor Moscow officially confirmed any conversations between the leaders when the clip surfaced, Trump later revealed he had agreed with Putin to immediately start negotiations during a call on February 12.
On Jan. 27, Andrey Isayev, a member of Russia's State Duma (the lower house of parliament), accused U.S. President Donald Trump of trying to "rudely" force Russian President Vladimir Putin to start peace negotiations with Ukraine. [...]
"Trump threatened our president rather rudely, it must be said, pressuring to start the negotiations and reminding of Qaddafi's fate."
The claim is false.
Advertising campaign calling for "stand with Ukraine," which was allegedly initiated by the Ukrainian government, is fake. The corporation that installed the billboard shown in the video denied the existence of such an advertisement.