Trump’s Misleading Claims About Teleprompters at Recent Rally

During a recent rally in Aurora, Colorado, former President Donald Trump made several misleading statements regarding Vice President Kamala Harris and the use of teleprompters. Specifically, he claimed that Harris used a teleprompter during her Univision town hall event the previous day, a claim that was swiftly debunked by Univision itself. Additionally, Trump falsely asserted that he does not use teleprompters during his speeches, despite the clear evidence to the contrary.

Trump stated, “Did you see where she did a town hall yesterday and she used a teleprompter? I never saw a town – they never – you don’t use teleprompters, we don’t use teleprompters, period, pretty much. You don’t use ‘em for town halls.” This assertion, however, is not accurate.

Fact-checking the claims reveals that the moderator of the Univision town hall and the president of Univision News both refuted Trump’s assertion about Harris. They clarified that the teleprompter visible during the broadcast displayed text in Spanish, intended for the moderator, not for Harris. Daniel Coronell, president of Univision News, addressed the false claims directly, stating on social media, “That’s not true. The teleprompter that displays a text written in Spanish was a support element for the town hall moderator. I can tell you this with first-hand knowledge because I was in charge of the television program.”

Enrique Acevedo, the town hall moderator, also chimed in, stating, “The prompter displayed my introduction (in Spanish) and then it switched to a timer. Any claim to the contrary is simply untrue.” Both responses were posted late Thursday, but several right-wing commentators who spread the misleading narrative continued to circulate their claims, despite being debunked.

Trump’s statements about not using teleprompters are equally misleading. In reality, he frequently employs teleprompters for his speeches, and during the very rally in question, two teleprompters were clearly visible—one to his left and one to his right. While Trump often adds off-the-cuff remarks, he relies on teleprompters as a standard practice for formal addresses.

The misleading narrative regarding Harris’s alleged use of a teleprompter quickly gained traction on social media, racking up millions of views on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. Right-wing commentators, including Benny Johnson, Charlie Kirk, Greg Price, and Fox News host Sean Hannity, amplified Trump’s false claims. Despite their wide reach, Univision’s official debunking of the misinformation did not significantly diminish the spread of these falsehoods.

In addition to the specific claims made at the rally, Trump has made teleprompter-related criticisms of Harris a regular part of his rhetoric. Just last month, he falsely accused her of using notes during a televised interview with CNN. These comments often serve to question her intelligence and capability in a broader political context.

The original misleading narrative about Harris’s teleprompter usage was fueled by a brief clip posted by the Trump campaign’s “Trump War Room” account, which did not explicitly state that Harris was using a teleprompter but merely noted, “The teleprompter,” accompanied by an emoji of big eyes. This post was quickly seized upon by Trump’s allies, who elaborated on the claim without verifying its accuracy.

The impact of such misinformation can be significant, particularly in an era where social media can amplify unverified claims at an alarming rate. Despite the factual rebuttals from credible sources, the persistence of misleading narratives surrounding public figures often shapes public perception in ways that can have lasting implications.

As discussions continue about the role of teleprompters and public speaking in politics, it remains critical to differentiate fact from fiction. The ability to critically analyze and fact-check statements made by political figures is essential in maintaining an informed electorate.