Sat Jan 04 09:56:20 UTC 2025: ## Fox News Misinformation Fuels False Claims After New Orleans Attack
**New Orleans, LA –** The aftermath of a New Year’s Day truck attack in New Orleans, which killed 15 people and is being investigated as an act of terrorism, was marred by the rapid spread of misinformation, largely fueled by a retracted report from Fox News.
The suspect, identified as 42-year-old US citizen and Army veteran Shamsud-Din Jabbar, was falsely portrayed by several prominent figures as an illegal immigrant. Within hours of the attack, President-elect Donald Trump, Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, and Donald Trump Jr. amplified claims that Jabbar had recently crossed the US-Mexico border. These claims originated from a Fox News report that initially stated Jabbar drove a truck that crossed the border at Eagle Pass, Texas, just two days prior to the attack.
The Fox News report, citing unnamed “federal sources,” was quickly retracted, with the network correcting the information within an hour to state that the truck entered the US in mid-November and that Jabbar was not the driver at that time. However, the initial erroneous report had already been widely disseminated on social media, with many prominent figures using the false information to support their political narratives.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, for instance, shared a Fox News clip on X, claiming Jabbar had “come across the border in Eagle Pass TWO DAYS AGO!!!” Donald Trump Jr. similarly tweeted that Biden’s “parting gift” to the US was “migrant terrorists.” President-elect Trump himself alluded to the inaccurate claims on Truth Social.
Despite Fox News’ correction and the FBI’s confirmation that Jabbar obtained the vehicle in Houston on December 30th, the false narrative continued to circulate online. The FBI clarified that Jabbar drove the rented Ford F-150 from Houston to New Orleans on December 31st before engaging in the attack.
The incident highlights the rapid spread of misinformation in the digital age and the potential for significant consequences when such information is amplified by influential figures. PolitiFact reached out to Fox News for comment but received no response. The incident underscores concerns about the role of news organizations in verifying information before dissemination, especially in the context of breaking news events.
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