FALSE. A viral Facebook video claims that U.S. President Donald Trump said he would secure the release of former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte from detention at the International Criminal Court (ICC).
FACT. There is no verified statement, social media post, official White House record, or legitimate news report showing Trump promising to intervene in Duterte’s ICC case. The circulating quote attributed to Trump is fabricated.
The false claim spread through a Facebook post that gained nearly 10,000 likes and featured a quote card asserting that Trump would use “every diplomatic channel” to push for Duterte’s release. The post links to a short video repeating the same claim without citing any credible source.
A review of Trump’s verified social media accounts, official U.S. government records, press briefings, and major international news outlets shows no record of such a statement. Fact-checking organizations found that the quote does not appear in any authentic transcript or interview.
The viral quote card uses visual elements that imitate the style of established media organizations. This tactic—known as fabricated media branding—has been repeatedly documented in political disinformation campaigns, particularly those involving narratives surrounding Duterte.
Duterte has been detained at the ICC since March 2025 on charges of crimes against humanity. The United States is not a member of the ICC and has no legal authority to interfere with the court’s arrest warrants, detention procedures, or judicial processes.
Sources
- Agence France-Presse. (2025, March 21). False claims spread that Trump backed Duterte after ICC arrest. https://factcheck.afp.com/doc.afp.com.36ZT389
- FactCheck.org. (2025, March 25). Posts fabricate claims about Trump’s response to Duterte’s arrest. https://www.factcheck.org/2025/03/posts-fabricate-claims-about-trumps-response-to-dutertes-arrest/
- Philstar.com. (2025, March 12). FACT CHECK: Donald Trump never spoke about Duterte’s ICC arrest. https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2025/03/12/2427851/fact-check-donald-trump-never-spoke-about-dutertes-icc-arrest
