Nicolai Haugsted
The son on the president claims the allegations are “fake”.
Questions surrounding authenticity, artificial intelligence and social media misinformation collided ahead of a major UFC event this weekend after screenshots circulating online appeared to show Eric Trump privately asking about potentially rigged fights.
Images briefly shared on former UFC champion and commentator Daniel Cormier’s X account appeared to depict messages allegedly sent from an account bearing Trump’s name. According to the screenshots, the sender sought insight into upcoming matchups and even asked whether any of the fights were fixed.
According to The Guardian, claims spread quickly across social media, particularly because the messages referenced betting and suggested interest in a possible upset involving fighter Diego Lopes. Screenshots showed messages asking: “Anything you can tell me about the fighters tomorrow? Who you got winning?”
Additional messages allegedly read: “You placing any bets… Are any of the fights tomorrow rigged? I’ve been eyeing the [Diego] Lopes fight and I think an upset wouldn’t be too unrealistic,” followed by “$$”.
Trump Rejects Claims
Eric Trump moved swiftly to deny any involvement, describing the screenshots as fabricated.
“This is completely fake! I have never reached out to Daniel. In fact, this is scary,” Trump wrote on X after the images began circulating.
Shortly afterward, he posted a second denial, claiming the material had been generated using artificial intelligence.
“This did not happen. They were AI generated. Please be careful with reporting,” he added.
Cormier Also Pushes Back
Cormier likewise rejected the authenticity of the screenshots and appeared frustrated that the claims gained traction online.
“Are people really this dumb?” he wrote on X, prompting a public thank-you from Trump.
During an in-person exchange with a spectator, Cormier again dismissed the allegations.
“Not real. I can’t believe you guys believe that… I got hacked or something… Who believes stuff like that? That’s crazy… Why would I do that?” he said.
Posts containing the screenshots were later removed from his account.
AI Concerns Return to Spotlight
A spokesperson for the Trump Organization also challenged the legitimacy of the images, arguing that the episode highlighted growing concerns over AI-generated misinformation.
Kimberly Benza said the screenshots had been fabricated and warned that false content can spread rapidly when users fail to verify information before sharing it.
Debate over the alleged messages unfolded alongside a UFC event that had already attracted controversy. Attention was drawn to comments made by fighter Josh Hokit, who repeated the false conspiracy claim that former First Lady Michelle Obama is a man.
Questions about who created the screenshots, how they appeared on Cormier’s account and whether the account was compromised remain unanswered. No evidence has been publicly presented to support the authenticity of the messages.
