Does fake Melania Trump exist? Kissing video sparks conspiracy theories: ‘Real one won’t even hold his hand’

A video and photo of First Lady Melania Trump with President Donald Trump have sparked conspiracy theories that FLOTUS has a body double. The photo reveals POTUS, accompanied by FLOTUS, turn to look at supporters as they board Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House, Thursday, October 22, 2020, in Washington. After that Trump is headed to Nashville, Tennessee. for a debate ahead of elections. 
 
On the other front, a viral video is doing rounds which shows Melania kissing Trump. In the video, the viewer is unable to see the face of the couple as it is being hidden behind a teleprompter screener. The video shows Melania in a black and white dress and donning shades while Trump is wearing a red MAGA cap and his trademark suit. A viewer shared the video with the caption, “The real Melania won’t even hold his hand.” It is not known when the video was shot. 

After that people started to share the video alleging that the woman featured in both the photo and video is not real Melania but her body double. A user wrote, “That’s definitely not Melania, but the TelePrompTer screen blocks him too. Possible it’s neither one of them? Maybe a fake video superimposed over a real crowd? (I’m way too into this now..”

Another user wrote about a fake Melania conspiracy, “HTT: I don't even care. So what if Melania doesn't want to do an event or be with her husband so they use a double to keep up appearances? Does that change anything? There are a million reasons to get rid of Trump, and "his wife doesn't like him" doesn't even crack the top ten.’ A user joked, “The real Melania would never kiss him like that. The fake must have gotten a lot of money for that. Gross.” 

A user quipped, “Fake Melania has real dreams. I hope she’s free to chase them soon.” A user asked as rumors surface, “Are you fake Melania?” A user busted some articles like Buzzfeed and USA Today that have written against the theory, “I don't know... your article three years actually convinced me that #FakeMelania was a false conspiracy theory. But please look at some of these recent photos and the footage from today. I think #FakeMelania is for real this time.” Meanwhile, another user was not ready to give up on body double claims, “No amount of proof will lead me to think otherwise.” 

Is Melania fake?

After the viral video and photo surface, publications like BuzzFeed and USA Today reported busting the claims of body double that fake Melania does not exist.USA Today reported that all pictures taken on the October 22 trip including photos of the first couple in Marine One are taken by the same photographer, Alex Brandon. “Melania Trump looks like her usual self, per images available to USA Today via Associated Press,” the publication USA Today reports. 

The publication further says, “Akili Ramsess, the executive director of the National Press Photographers Association, previously explained to the Associated Press that the angle at which the photos are taken, the type of camera lens that is used, and the positioning of the photographer can all impact how subjects appear in photos.” 

Giving the final verdict, USA Today said busting the notion of a body double for Melania, “Based on our research, the conspiracy theory that the White House has used a body double to sub for Melania Trump is FALSE. The White House and President Donald Trump have denied it, and the photos and videos that have been cited as proof of the theory have been anomalies. After all, no one looks the same in every photo that is taken of them.” 
 
Previously when rumors run rife in 2017 about the body double of Melania then, Jonathan Wackrow, a former Secret Service agent who served on the first family's detail, told CNN that "the United States Secret Service doesn't use body doubles."
 
BuzzFeed also wrote against a picture of Melania and Donald Trump that was circulated back in 2017 alleging that she is fake and her body double is being used. In that 2017 photo, POTUS and FLOTUS watch a vehicle demonstration at the United States Secret Service James J. Rowley training facility in Beltsville, Maryland, October 13, 2017. BuzzFeed wrote busting claims of a body double, “The theory is built on two false claims. And there are other photos of Melania from that day that show it's clearly her.”
 
BuzzFeed wrote, “The body double question seems to be much more lighthearted — but still totally false!” Hence both USA Today and BuzzFeed wrote that claims of body double of Melania Trump are false.