CNN Shoots Down Viral Post on X That Falsely Claimed Harris Was Up Big Against Trump in Texas
Graeme Sloan/Sipa USA, via AP Images
CNN’s public relations arm shot down viral misleading posts on social media that purported to be network polls showing Vice President Kamala Harris leading former President Donald Trump in Texas on Monday.
Images of the polls bore the CNN logo and claimed to have shown Harris up 51.8% to Trump’s 45.7% in the state – which the network called out as fraudulent.
The X (formerly Twitter) user The Older Millenial shared a screenshot of the fake poll and commented, “Hey Texas, looks like they are stealing your election.”
The post had racked up more than 4 million views as of Monday afternoon.
The post was also marked with several Community Notes – one noting an obviously fake claim made in the image that Lone Star State polls close at 9 p.m. ET.
“CNN has no such poll from Texas and never aired those numbers. The image is doctored, and the poll numbers are fake,” the note said, adding, “Also, Election Day polls in Texas generally close at 7:00 p.m. CT (8:00 p.m. ET), NOT 9:00 p.m. ET.”
Other accounts also shared the doctored screenshot:
CNN Communications got involved early Monday afternoon on the eve of the election to clarify the image was a fake.
The network’s PR account tweeted, “This image is completely fabricated and manipulated and it never aired on any CNN platform.”
As the Texas Secretary of State’s election account further noted, most polls in the state are open from 7 a.m to 7 p.m.
According to The New York Times, Trump led Harris by eight points in Texas on Monday – 52% to 44%.
