A supposed White House memo banning the use of the word “felon” inside the White House and on its grounds is making waves on social media, sparking debate over its authenticity.
The document, which has been widely shared on social media, particularly on X, claims that US President Donald Trump has prohibited the term in “conversation or in writing.” It further states that failure to comply will lead to “immediate expulsion and/or disciplinary action.” The memo also appears to bear Trump’s signature.
The alleged notice reads: “In light of recent events, until further notice I am directing all staff, operations personnel, cabinet members and White House visitors to stop using the word ‘Felon’ while inside the White House or on White House grounds, whether in conversation or in writing. Failure to comply with this directive will result in immediate expulsion and/or disciplinary action.”
The viral nature of the document has led to widespread speculation, with many questioning whether it is genuine or a hoax. While some social media users believe it is real, others remain sceptical due to the lack of official confirmation.
Despite the memo’s circulation, neither Donald Trump nor the White House has issued a statement addressing the claim.
Meanwhile, Republicans have faced mounting pressure to defend the alleged directive, with critics questioning the intent behind such a move—if true.
Social media users were quick to react to the alleged White House memo.
One X user said, “You know what the sad thing is.… I don’t know if this is real or fake.”
Another user commented, “It’s bad when you have to take a minute to decide something like this is real or parody.”
“LOL First he renames the Gulf of Mexico and brings back plastic straws – now this??” said another user.
Meanwhile, the X community notes, which fact-checks posts on the platform, stated, “This is an unverified claim being presented as fact. President Trump has not officially banned the word ‘felon’ in the White House.”
Snopes.com has also fact-checked the viral post and concluded that the alleged Trump memo banning the word ‘felon’ in the White House is fake.
Last year, Donald Trump became the first former US president convicted of felony crimes when a New York jury found him guilty of all 34 charges in May. The case involved a scheme to influence the 2016 election through a hush money payment to a porn actor who claimed they had sex. He later won the election and took office on January 20.
