Fake Vance Post Targets El-Sayed Swearing-In
A fabricated screenshot attributed to Vice President JD Vance circulated on X and Facebook after Abdul El-Sayed won Michigan's Senate race.
Updated on Nov. 11, 2026 in Elections
A screenshot purporting to show a post by JD Vance about avoiding swearing in Abdul El-Sayed circulated on X and Facebook in early November 2026. Fact-checkers found the image is not from Vance's verified account and matches no genuine post.
Why it matters
The fake post spread as El-Sayed defeated Republican Mike Rogers in Michigan on Election Day, a race in which Vance had backed Rogers. Fabricated screenshots of public officials can shape how voters read a close contest and its aftermath.
Vance's only X post mentioning El-Sayed is dated October 27, 2026, and does not match the circulating image. The fake screenshot was posted on November 7, 2026, from the Facebook page Idisobey, which publishes fabricated social media content.
The players
JD Vance
The sitting U.S. Vice President, who backed Mike Rogers in the Michigan race and criticized El-Sayed throughout the campaign.
Abdul El-Sayed
The Democratic candidate who won Michigan's Senate race on Election Day 2026 and is set to be sworn in by Vance.
Mike Rogers
The Republican candidate who lost the Michigan Senate race to El-Sayed on Election Day 2026.
The details
The screenshot, attributed to Vance, was shared on X and Facebook without a date or disclaimer. A Google search for verbatim text from the post found no evidence Vance wrote such a comment. El-Sayed, in his victory speech, referenced Vance's constitutional duty to swear him in.
Timeline
October 27, 2026: Vance posts on X mentioning El-Sayed alongside a Michigan rally video.
November 3, 2026: Election Day; El-Sayed defeats Mike Rogers in Michigan.
November 7, 2026: The Idisobey page manager posts the fake screengrab.
January 3, 2027: Vance is scheduled to swear in El-Sayed as senator.
Political Context
Fact-checkers such as Snopes routinely trace fabricated screenshots attributed to officials, and this case followed that pattern of unverified images spreading on X and Facebook. The reverse image search and account review used here are the standard methods for testing whether a purported official post is authentic.
Readers who encounter screenshots of officials' posts should check the account's verified handle and run a reverse image search before sharing. A fabricated post can spread widely before a correction appears.
The takeaway
Before sharing a screenshot attributed to a public official, confirm the post exists on their verified account and check the image's origin. Fabricated posts often circulate without dates or disclaimers.
What happens next
Vance is scheduled to swear in El-Sayed as senator on January 3, 2027.
Further reading
Explore more coverage in Elections for context on the Michigan Senate race.
