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DISINFO DESK

Viral Misinformation

No, Denzel Washington Didn't Call Trump His 'Great Friend' — Trump Posted the Fake Quote Anyway

A gushing endorsement attributed to Denzel Washington has circulated online before with other actors' names on it. Trump posted it as if it were real, and Washington's own spokesperson says it isn't.

FALSE ✕

FILED OCT 15, 2026 · 4 SOURCES

The Claim

On Monday, October 12, 2026, President Trump's verified Truth Social account posted an image attributed to the X account Red Eagles Updates — a MAGA-aligned account with more than 700,000 followers — quoting Denzel Washington as gushing praise for Trump and calling him a 'great friend' [1][3].

The post framed the quote as a genuine Washington endorsement, attached to a poll asking followers, 'Do you agree with Denzel?' [3]. Trump reposted it without any indication he had verified where it came from or whether Washington ever said it [1][2].

The Evidence

The quote is fabricated. Alan Nierob, president of Washington's publicity firm PMK Entertainment, told The Washington Post in an emailed statement that it was 'not real' and that he had 'no idea where it came from' [3][4].

This is not the quote's first outing. Fact-checking site Snopes has previously found the identical gushing language wrongly attributed to two other celebrities, Mick Jagger and Matthew McConaughey, in earlier recirculations [1]. It is unclear whether Washington and Trump have ever met [1].

Federal campaign-finance records show Washington has donated to Democratic presidential campaigns in the past, including Barack Obama's 2008 run and Hillary Clinton's 2016 campaign against Trump — the opposite of a political ally publicly praising the president [3].

The Verdict

FALSE. Denzel Washington never made the remarks attributed to him. The quote is a recycled fabrication previously pinned on other celebrities, denied on the record by Washington's own spokesperson, and posted by Trump's own account as if genuine [1][3][4].

SOURCES · 4

  1. [1]*CTV News / CNN* - Fact check: Trump posts fake quote of Denzel Washington supposedly praising him

    72/100 · ctvnews.ca

  2. [2]*The Daily Beast* - Trump, 80, Falls for Fake Gushing Praise From Oscar Winner

    72/100 · thedailybeast.com

  3. [3]*TheWrap* - Trump Posts Fake Denzel Washington Endorsement Calling President a 'Great Friend'

    72/100 · thewrap.com

  4. [4]*theGrio* - Fake Denzel Washington quote praising Trump resurfaces on the president's social media account

    72/100 · thegrio.com

MEBRO · DISINFO DESK · mebro.app

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