‘Fake Melania’ conspiracy theory takes hold on social media

Tens of millions of Americans will head to the polls today to cast their vote in the 2024 Presidential Election. It’s one of few things that unites people across the country, with even the candidates themselves heading to their local polling place to cast their vote.

On Tuesday former President Donald Trump cast an in-person vote at Palm Beach, Florida alongside his wife, former First Lady Melania Trump. Trump addressed the media to predict a “very big victory” for his campaign, although some images of the brief appearance sparked bizarre theories online.

Some on social media claimed that Melania was not really in attendance alongside her husband, with the phrase #FakeMelania trending on X on Tuesday. The theory is the latest example of the debunked rumour that a body double is sometimes used to replace Melania at public appearances.

Origins of the ‘Fake Melania’ conspiracy theory

The Fake Melania claim is nothing new, a conspiracy theory perpetuated by her apparent reluctance to appear in public in recent years. It is true that she is a less visible presence than most spouses during a presidential election campaign however there is no evidence that she is replaced by a doppelganger.

The claims actually go back to October 2017, when she attended a Secret Service training centre alongside her husband, the then-President, in Maryland. Some online claimed that a Secret Service agent who shares a physical likeness with Melania stepped in to replace her, although that theory was quickly debunked.

“Once again, we find ourselves consumed with a ridiculous non-story when we could be talking about the work the first lady is doing on behalf of children,” the then-First Lady’s communications director Stephanie Grisham told CNN at the time.

Those same claims have emerged on Election Day 2024 with images of Melania wearing large sunglasses indoors purporting to prove that she is a body double attempting to disguise her true identity. However that claim was quickly disproved when she removed the shades to reveal that she was, in fact, herself.