After Donald Trump’s recent victory in the U.S. presidential election, a video clip from his victory speech was widely shared in India with claims that the crowd chanted “Modi” in support of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. However, this claim has been fact-checked and proven false by AFP. In reality, the crowd was chanting “Bobby,” a reference to Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a Trump ally.
Trump mentioned Kennedy during his speech, and supporters chanted his nickname “Bobby” in response. The false claim gained significant traction on social media, including posts by several members of India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), who misinterpreted or perhaps amplified the chant as a show of support for Modi. Both Trump and Modi are known to have a friendly relationship, which may have contributed to the rapid spread of this misinformation in India.
