An image shared on Facebook purports to show a headline from The Atlantic about migrants eating cats.
Verdict: False
Logically Facts debunked the claim, labeling the image as “fake” on Sept. 17. A spokesperson for The Atlantic denied the image’s authenticity in an email to the outlet.
Fact Check:
British comedian John Oliver asked his viewers if they could remember a time when 2024 Republican nominee and former President Donald Trump’s comments about Haitian migrants purportedly eating pets would be “disqualifying,” according to the Hollywood Reporter. Oliver made the remark on a recent episode of his show, “Last Week Tonight,” the outlet reported.
The Facebook image purports to show a headline from The Atlantic about migrants eating cats. “Why Migrants Eating Cats Might Be a Good Thing,” the headline reads. “Conservatives don’t understand the cultural importance of traditional Haitian cuisine,” a subheadline follows. According to the same image, the headline was purportedly published by the magazine’s editors.
The claim is false. Check Your Fact conducted a search of The Atlantic’s website and found no results for the purported headline. The purported headline also does not appear on the magazine’s verified social media accounts.
Likewise, Check Your Fact did not find any credible news reports to suggest The Atlantic had published the headline. In fact, the opposite is true. On Sept. 17, Logically Facts reported the claim was false, labeling the image, which also circulated on X, the social media platform previously called Twitter, as “fake.”
A spokesperson for The Atlantic denied the image’s authenticity in an email to the outlet.
“This image is crudely fabricated; it is not a screenshot of an actual Atlantic article,” they said, adding: “We have published no such thing. We have reported this as fake and as a trademark infringement,” the same spokesperson said. (RELATED: Did JD Vance Admit To Having A ‘Rent-A-Dog?’)
The fake headline references claims that Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio are purportedly eating animals. The claim gained traction online following comments from a local resident during a recent city commission meeting. The claim was also repeated by Trump during the Sept. 10 presidential debate hosted by ABC News.
Check Your Fact has contacted The Atlantic for comment.