Amid escalating political tensions in Uganda surrounding opposition leader Bobi Wine’s abduction claims, disputed elections, and reports of youth disappearances, misleading social media posts have falsely claimed that US President Donald Trump has threatened to invade the East African nation or directly condemned President Yoweri Museveni over human rights abuses.
These viral assertions, often tied to dramatic calls for “change” in Uganda, are entirely false and trace back to manipulated AI-generated videos, according to independent fact-checkers like Africa Check.
A widely shared TikTok clip from late February 2025 purportedly shows Trump delivering a passionate speech on the abduction of Ugandan youth. In the fabricated audio, he declares:
“Recent reports from Uganda highlight an alarming trend: disappearances and abductions targeting the youth. Let me be clear; no government should ever silence its youth or subject them to fear and oppression. This is not leadership. The world is watching.”
The clip, which garnered hundreds of thousands of views across TikTok and Facebook, overlays this fake narration on real footage of Trump from a February 5, 2025, joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The original event focused exclusively on Middle East issues – no mention of Uganda or Africa appears in credible transcripts or reports.
Africa Check’s investigation revealed clear signs of manipulation:
– Lip movements do not sync with the audio.
– Trump’s voice tone shifts noticeably when saying “Uganda,” indicating the word was likely swapped from “Kenya” in a recycled deepfake.
– The script mirrors parts of an earlier debunked video falsely attributing similar comments to Trump about Kenyan abductions.
No legitimate US or international media outlets, White House statements, or State Department records document any such speech. If Trump had publicly addressed Ugandan abductions or threatened action, it would have dominated headlines – yet zero credible coverage exists.
This is not an isolated incident. Similar AI-altered videos have falsely portrayed Trump:
– Pledging support for Bobi Wine in Uganda’s 2026 elections.
– Urging Ugandans to reject apologies from Museveni.
– Even granting Uganda permission to invade other African states (except South Sudan).
These fabrications exploit ongoing real concerns in Uganda, including:
– Reports of NUP supporters’ abductions in early 2025.
– Bobi Wine’s claims of armed surveillance and threats linked to Museveni’s son, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba.
– Post-election violence and detentions following Museveni’s disputed re-election in January 2026.
While these domestic issues have drawn international scrutiny from human rights groups, no evidence links them to any official US threat of invasion or military intervention under Trump.
Searches across major fact-checking databases (Africa Check, PesaCheck) and global news archives confirm no authentic Trump statements threatening invasion of Uganda or directly criticizing Museveni on youth abductions. Isolated social media rumors – including satirical or exaggerated posts about Trump “coming for” Museveni – lack substantiation and appear amplified for political effect.
In an era of advanced deepfakes, such videos fuel division, erode trust in institutions, and risk inflaming tensions in already volatile political environments like Uganda’s. Fact-checkers urge users to verify sources, check for lip-sync issues, and cross-reference with reputable outlets before sharing.
Verdict: False. President Donald Trump has not threatened to invade Uganda, nor has he made any verified public statements condemning abductions there. The circulating content is AI-manipulated misinformation designed to mislead.
For the latest verified updates on US-Uganda relations and regional developments, follow credible sources like Africa Check, BBC, Reuters and Siaya Today
