Univision debunked a false claim that Vice President Kamala Harris used a teleprompter during her town hall with the Spanish-language network. The claim was made by several right-wing commentators with significant followings, including Benny Johnson, Charlie Kirk, Greg Price, and Fox News host Sean Hannity. Both the moderator of the town hall, Enrique Acevedo, and the president of Univision News, Daniel Coronell, refuted the claim, explaining that the teleprompter had text in Spanish for Acevedo, not Harris.
Acevedo clarified that the teleprompter displayed his introduction in Spanish and then switched to a timer. He called any claim to the contrary “simply untrue.” Coronell also debunked the claim, stating that the teleprompter displaying Spanish text was a support element for the moderator, not Harris. Despite their efforts, the viral posts from Price, Johnson, and Kirk remained online as of Friday with Hannity being the only one to delete his post. CNN reached out to Price, Johnson, and Kirk for comment on the situation.
Former President Donald Trump has criticized Harris for using a teleprompter, suggesting that she is unable to speak cogently without a script. He has made teleprompter-related comments a staple of his recent criticisms of Harris, even though he often uses teleprompters himself for speeches. Trump has baselessly claimed that Harris used notes in a televised interview with CNN. The right-wing commentators’ inaccurate posts claiming Harris used a teleprompter at the Univision town hall were based on a 12-second clip posted by the Trump campaign’s “Trump War Room” account.
The Trump campaign’s post itself did not make an explicit claim, but simply referenced the teleprompter with a big eyes emoji. The false claim gained traction among allies of the campaign, leading to widespread dissemination of the misinformation. Univision’s Acevedo and Coronell worked to set the record straight, emphasizing that the teleprompter seen during the town hall was for Acevedo and not for Harris. Despite their efforts, the false claim continued to circulate on social media.
The episode highlights the challenges of combating misinformation in the age of social media. False claims can spread rapidly and reach millions of people before accurate information can catch up. In this case, right-wing commentators with large followings played a significant role in amplifying the false narrative about Harris using a teleprompter. The involvement of the Trump campaign’s account added fuel to the fire, leading allies to further propagate the misinformation.
Moving forward, it is crucial for media organizations and individuals to actively debunk false claims and misinformation that circulate online. Univision’s response to the teleprompter claim demonstrates the importance of fact-checking and setting the record straight when misinformation is spread. By taking swift action to correct the record, journalists and news outlets can help mitigate the impact of false narratives and uphold the integrity of accurate reporting in an era dominated by social media and rapid information dissemination.
