Fact Check: Did Trump visit Maui after wildfires? Viral video debunked

If you are active on social media, you might have come across a video claiming that former President Trump visited Maui, Hawaii, after the wildfires caused massive destruction in the area. In the 1-minute video, the former President can be seen entering a building and addressing the public, as he says:

“These are incredible people. We met some of the survivors and family members and what they’ve been through is incredible. One woman lost 10 people in her family, an incredible woman. I said, 'How did it go?' She said, 'I lost 10, 10 people.”

The video was titled:

“A real President truly cares. Trump 2024.”

In the video, Melania Trump can be seen accompanying the former president, along with a FEMA truck in the background. While the claims have been misguiding a lot of people, upon searching social media, similar videos existed that dated back to March 11, 2019, when the former President visited Beauregard, Alabama, after a tornado killed more than 15 people.

Hence, the claims that Trump visited the Maui wildfire are false, as the video is old and is being circulated with a fake title. On August 17, 2023, a video was shared on Twitter, and within a short period of time, it received more than 2300 views.

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Donald Trump did not visit Maui after wildfires

While the news of Trump visiting Maui has been circulating with an old video, the truth is that the video was taken in 2019, when Trump visited Alabama after it was hit by a tornado. On the other hand, the former President did speak up on the matter and acknowledged the situation, as he took a dig at the current President, Joe Biden, and said:

“I would like to express my sympathy and warmest regards to the people of Hawaii, and specifically all of those who have been so gravely and irreparably hurt by the tragedy of the wildfires in Maui, something the likes of which have seldom been seen anywhere at any time.”

He then talked about how the government was "not prepared" to deal with the crisis and the wildfires. He also stated that Biden’s government dealt with the aftermath "very poorly." He also talked about Hawaii Gov. Josh Green and stated that the "governor did nothing and just blamed global warming."

The Maui fires that started on August 8, 2023, have claimed the lives of more than 100 people. The government has stated that the wildfires began due to global warming and excessive heat from the dry leaves. At the same time, the investigators are digging deep into the matter to find more reasons for the massive fire.

Talking about the fake news about the former President visiting Maui, one should be extremely careful while sharing such pieces, as they should be shared only if they come from a reliable and verified source. Otherwise, such fake news can cause confusion and spread the wrong message. In this case, the best practice would be to report the video or post so that it does not spread further.