Analysis of False Claims Concerning Trump’s Proposed Name Change for D.C.
In March 2025, rumors spread that President Trump proposed renaming Washington, D.C. to the “District of America.” The source was a fake audio recording created with AI, which mimicked Trump’s voice inaccurately. The responsible TikTok account, @whmole, has since been deactivated, underscoring the need to scrutinize the authenticity of social media content.
In March 2025, false claims emerged that U.S. President Donald Trump intended to rename the District of Columbia to the “District of America.” This rumor followed shortly after his executive order to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, leading to widespread sharing on platforms such as Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, TikTok, and X.
An audio recording was circulated, falsely presenting Trump discussing this name change. However, this recording was not legitimate but rather generated by an artificial intelligence tool, mimicking Trump’s voice with noticeable discrepancies. The fabricated audio suggested absurd sentiments about Washington, D.C., claiming that “it’s got nothing to do with Colombia. It’s nowhere near Colombia.”
The TikTok user known as @whmole is suspected of creating the audio clip, though the account became inaccessible on March 14, 2025. Snopes subsequently verified that this account had previously posted several fake AI-generated audio clips of Trump, including the disputed recording. Furthermore, other video postings from the same account showcased additional misleading content featuring Trump.
The @whmole account served as a hub for these fabricated clips, raising the credibility issues of similar future conspiracies. Given the nature of social media, it is recommended that users critically assess the authenticity of audio and video materials shared online, especially when they involve public figures.
In summary, the claim regarding President Trump’s desire to rename Washington, D.C. to the “District of America” is unfounded, originating from a fabricated audio recording created using AI technology. The TikTok account @whmole, identified as the source of the audio, has since been deactivated. Users should exercise caution and verify sources when encountering sensational claims on social media settlements.
Original Source: www.snopes.com
