WASHINGTON D.C: On August 15, 2024, social media erupted with a video claiming that Donald Trump was defending the niqab, asserting it as a cherished tradition for Afghan women. The clip, however, is a throwback to October 2015, when Trump made his remarks about Afghan women at a New Hampshire rally.
As the November 2024 Presidential elections approach, Trump is ramping up his campaign, targeting key battlegrounds and trying to win over undecided voters with his stance on economic policies, immigration, and American security.
The viral video was shared by X user (formerly Twitter) in the middle of August 2024, claiming to be a geopolitical analyst. The clip circulated with the caption, “Donald Trump: Afghan women have been veiling for thousands of years. They want to wear them. What the heck are we getting involved for?” which racked up to 2 million views.
A fact check was conducted by i-verify over the matter. It reveals that the footage is not a recent endorsement but a recycled comments from Trump’s October 2015 New Hampshire rally, where he humorously suggested that burqas are a convenience because they spare women from makeup. He also humorously added that if he were a woman, he would prefer wearing a burqa too.
News sources, including CNN and The Cut, confirmed this as a long-standing comment rather than a serious policy statement. The original video is available on YouTube, as published by CNN on July 21, 2016, titled, “Trump on women wearing burqas—Don’t need make-up.”
The resurfacing of this old clip, stripped of its context, demonstrates how misinformation spreads like wildfire and how can it be weaponized to sway public opinion, especially as election season intensifies. It is crucial to verify the news before spreading it further.
