New Orleans Truck Attack Sparks Misinformation Frenzy Fueled by Fox News Report
A New Year’s Day truck attack in New Orleans, which claimed the lives of 14 people and is being investigated as an act of terrorism, tragically became a breeding ground for misinformation. The suspect, identified as 42-year-old U.S. citizen and Army veteran Shamsud-Din Jabbar, was falsely accused of being an illegal immigrant by prominent political figures and social media users, even after authorities confirmed his citizenship. The misinformation spread rapidly, largely fueled by an initial erroneous report from Fox News.
The misinformation narrative began to take shape within hours of the attack. Citing Fox News, numerous social media accounts falsely claimed that Jabbar had "crossed the U.S.-Mexico border at the Eagle Pass crossing just two days ago." This claim, devoid of any factual basis, quickly gained traction, with influential figures like Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Donald Trump Jr. amplifying the narrative. Greene, sharing a Fox News clip, called for the border to be shut down, while Trump Jr. labeled Jabbar a "migrant terrorist," directly tying the attack to President Biden’s immigration policies.
The misinformation campaign reached the highest levels when then-President-elect Donald Trump weighed in on Truth Social, suggesting that criminals entering the country were worse than those already here. This statement, made before any official confirmation of Jabbar’s identity or immigration status, further fueled the growing wave of false accusations.
The source of the misinformation can be traced back to a Fox News broadcast on the morning of January 1st. The network, citing "federal sources," reported that the truck used in the attack had crossed the southern border just two days prior and was driven by Jabbar. This information, later proven false, was quickly disseminated across social media and amplified by those seeking to exploit the tragedy for political gain.
While Fox News reporters backtracked on the initial report within minutes on air and issued a formal correction within an hour, stating that the truck crossed the border in mid-November and was not driven by Jabbar, the damage was already done. The misinformation had already spread like wildfire, cementing itself in the minds of many. Despite the correction, numerous social media posts containing the false claims remained online without clarification, continuing to propagate the inaccurate narrative.
Even after law enforcement confirmed Jabbar’s U.S. citizenship, the misinformation persisted. Donald Trump, in a subsequent Truth Social post, continued to link the attack to immigration policies, falsely attributing the tragedy to an "Open Border’s Policy." This doubling down on the false narrative, despite readily available factual information, further demonstrates the deeply entrenched nature of the misinformation and its exploitation for political purposes. The FBI later confirmed that Jabbar had rented the truck in Houston on December 30th and driven it to New Orleans on December 31st, further debunking the claims about the vehicle crossing the border. This incident serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of misinformation, especially when amplified by influential figures and media outlets, and the importance of verifying information before sharing it.