Chapter Two: What is Fake News? Defining Truth

In January 2021, a sizeable group of pro-Trump protesters stormed the US Capitol building in Washington D.C. They were acting in response to then US President Donald Trump’s claims that he had been robbed of victory in the 2020 US election. The protesters included a young woman named Elizabeth, who was interviewed by a TV news reporter shortly after her attempt to enter that building was unsuccessful. The woman was red-eyed and shaken, saying police had sprayed her with mace. When asked why she was demonstrating, Elizabeth responded earnestly: ‘It’s a revolution!’ At first glance, this clip appears to be yet another example of the dangers that have arisen from Trump’s dishonesty. The outgoing president addressed the crowd moments before they swarmed the building, repeating the assertion that his electoral triumph had been ‘stolen by the fake news media’ (AP News, 2021). These claims were supported by the president’s personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, who spoke to gatherers. The footage could also serve as a caution against placing too much faith in leaders, especially those who expound bombastic, brutish braggadocio that has little basis in fact.