US EditionFrench Presidency Denounces Viral 'Cocaine Video' as Disinformation
- On May 11, 2025, Emmanuel Macron of France, Germany’s Friedrich Merz, and the United Kingdom’s Keir Starmer took a train from Poland to Kyiv to hold talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
- During the journey, social media posts falsely accused the leaders of drug use, showing a white object claimed to be cocaine, which France and Ukraine identified as disinformation by Russian sources.
- French officials and media clarified that the white item in question was actually a balled-up tissue containing no drugs, and emphasized that altered images were being circulated to propagate misinformation.
- The Élysée Palace denounced the circulation of false information by France’s domestic and foreign adversaries, highlighting that misleading claims have even gone to the extent of portraying an ordinary tissue as illegal drugs in efforts to weaken European solidarity.
- This false narrative exemplifies ongoing Russian disinformation campaigns intended to discredit Ukraine and its allies, prompting France to increase vigilance against manipulation and monitor influence operations closely.
278 Articles
278 Articles
Alex Jones' cocaine claim about European leaders falls apart under scrutiny
Conspiracy theorist Alex Jones seized on a May 9 video of a train car meeting among three European leaders to claim they had used drugs and were trying to hide […] The post Alex Jones’ cocaine claim about European leaders falls apart under scrutiny appeared first on Poynter.
Fact-checking video of Macron: White object is not cocaine
Alex Jones said a video showed European leaders Emmanuel Macron, Friedrich Merz and Keir Starmer “caught” with cocaine. A digital forensics expert and the official X account for the French presidency said the item was a tissue.
Macron Faces Backlash Over Viral Cocaine Accusation In France
What happens when world leaders board a train to discuss peace? Apparently, some corners of the internet see a chance to stir up chaos.A video showing French President Emmanuel Macron, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz en route to Kyiv made its rounds online. It quickly gained attention across social media platforms. The clip? Innocent. The claims? Outrageous. As Macron casually tidied a white tissue off the ta…
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