Fact Check: Trump Threatened Probation Officer During Video Call?

Claim:

Former U.S. President Donald Trump thrashed and threatened his New York probation officer during his presentencing virtual call on June 10, 2024.

Rating:

Labeled Satire ( About this rating? )

On June 11, 2024, RealRawNews.com published an article claiming former U.S. President Donald Trump thrashed and threatened a New York City probation officer during a video conference ahead of Trump's sentencing scheduled for July. In May 2024, a New York jury found the former president guilty on all 34 counts of falsifying business records he faced stemming from a payment to quiet a porn star.

The RealRawNews article began with details about the security enhancements to Trump's computer:

U.S. Army Cyber Command (ARCYBER) installed military-grade encryption software on the computer President Donald J. Trump used during his at-home pre-sentencing video interview on Monday. The security enhancements were aimed at stopping a New York City probation officer and her superiors from hacking Trump's network and stealing his 2024 campaign agenda or other sensitive material. None of his personal devices hold data on White Hat operations, a source in General Eric M. Smith's office told Real Raw News.

The article then dove into the allegedly tense exchange between Trump and his probation officer:

The Monday afternoon interview opened with the probation officer, first name "Stephanie," last initial "G," asking invasive, unprofessional questions that had no bearing on the case. Taunting Trump, she wanted to know how Melania and Barron were handling living with a convicted felon who could soon be behind bars. She also asked Trump if he was ready to admit he was guilty of not only doctoring business records but also serial cheating on his wife.

Trump's lawyer immediately objected to the line of questioning and threatened to end the call; at this point, Stephanie G. muted her microphone and appeared to be speaking to someone off-camera. She had placed a hand beside her mouth, ostensibly to prevent anyone on Trump's side of the call from reading her lips. After a minute, she re-engaged her mic and explained that Judge Juan Merchan, if he felt charitable, might put Trump on lengthy probation rather than send him to prison, adding he'd likely have to wear an ankle bracelet so the court could track his movements.

At that point, President Trump rebuffed her unenforceable threat, saying it was he who had the authority and influence to fit her with an ankle monitor—but it would hold an explosive charge set to detonate if she tampered with it or stepped more than two feet beyond her doorstep.

Blanche attempted to mollify his client, but President Trump could not be silenced. He hinted to Stephanie G. that he had ordered ankle monitors placed on people far more powerful than a lowly corrections officer who served the Deep State.

The above article was not true, and originated from a website that labels its content as being satirical.

As we've reported before , RealRawNews.com is a website dedicated to publishing articles about the war against the "Deep State," implying that the people in power in the United States are involved in a secretive plan to control the country. The website publishes satirical content, as it explains on its " About Us " page.

Information on this website is for informational and educational and entertainment purposes. This website contains humor, parody, and satire. We have included this disclaimer for our protection, on the advice on legal counsel.

There was no evidence from verified news outlets that such an exchange took place between Trump and a probation officer. Had this been true, it would have received wider coverage. CBS News and The Washington Post reported that Trump's interview, which took place on June 10, 2024, was "uneventful." Such an interview is a routine step after a guilty verdict, according to the Post . It allows the probation department to prepare presentencing reports for judges, collect information on felons' personal history, mental health details and circumstances that led to their conviction.

The end of the RealRawNews article even stated : "As an aside, Real Raw News realizes our sources' accounting of the meeting contradicts the Washinton [sic] Post's, which claimed the meeting was cordial and that the probation officer asked no unusual questions."

Snopes has fact-checked many articles from RealRawNews , including one that falsely alleged Nikki Haley's campaign staffer was arrested for trying to bribe voters in January 2024.

For background, here is why we sometimes write about satire/humor.

Sources:

Alfaro, Mariana, and Shayna Jacobs. "Trump Meets with N.Y. Probation Officer over Video." Washington Post, 11 June 2024. www.washingtonpost.com, https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/06/10/trump-interview-probation-officer-hush-money/ . Accessed 12 June 2024.

Baxter, Michael. President Trump Thrashes NYC Probation Officer During Video Conference. 11 June 2024, https://realrawnews.com/2024/06/president-trump-thrashes-nyc-probation-officer-during-video-conference/ . Accessed 12 June 2024.

Izzo, Jack. "Was a Nikki Haley Campaign Staffer Arrested for Trying To Bribe Voters?" Snopes, 16 Jan. 2024, https://www.snopes.com//fact-check/nikki-haley-staffer-arrested/ . Accessed 12 June 2024.

Kaufman, Katrina, et al. Trump Undergoes Probation Interview Virtually - CBS News. 10 June 2024, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/donald-trump-probation-interview-new-york-conviction/ . Accessed 12 June 2024.