President Donald Trump turned to his Truth Social platform earlier in November to amplify a striking message about former President Barack Obama. The content he shared revived a familiar narrative claiming that Obama had received substantial financial benefits tied directly to the Affordable Care Act since its introduction in 2010.
The specific post that caught the president’s attention declared in bold letters: “#BREAKING: DOGE halts yearly payment of $2.5 million to Barack Obama for ‘royalties linked to Obamacare.’” Accompanying the dramatic headline, President Trump offered a brief yet emphatic reaction: “WOW!”
The Affordable Care Act, signed into law back in 2010, represented a comprehensive effort to reshape America’s healthcare landscape and broaden insurance availability for millions of citizens. This landmark legislation later contributed to one of the longest government shutdowns in the nation’s history, as lawmakers on both sides fiercely debated the preservation of healthcare subsidies that supported coverage for approximately 24 million individuals.
Throughout his political career, President Trump has remained a prominent voice expressing deep reservations about the Affordable Care Act. In a separate Truth Social message posted earlier the same month, he urged Senate Republicans to redirect significant funds away from insurance companies and toward American families. He wrote:
“I am recommending to Senate Republicans that the Hundreds of Billions of Dollars currently being sent to money sucking Insurance Companies in order to save the bad Healthcare provided by ObamaCare, BE SENT DIRECTLY TO THE PEOPLE so they can purchase their own, MUCH BETTER, HEALTHCARE—and have money left over.”
Even with his consistent critique of the program, President Trump acknowledged in conversations with reporters that certain temporary extensions of the existing subsidies could serve broader legislative priorities. He described the overall framework of the Affordable Care Act as fundamentally flawed.
The particular assertion about annual $2.5 million payments to Barack Obama gained fresh attention when President Trump shared the post on November 30. Notably, the circulating message provided no verifiable references or documentation to support its central claim.
Investigations into the origin of this narrative trace it back to the Dunning-Kruger Times, a website operating within the broader “America’s Last Line of Defense” network. This network openly positions itself as a source of satirical and fictional content. Visitors to its homepage encounter a clear disclaimer emphasizing that every story published there exists purely for entertainment purposes and bears no connection to reality.
This specific rumor about supposed Obamacare royalties first emerged several months earlier and has undergone thorough examination by independent fact-checking organizations on multiple occasions. Each review has confirmed the complete absence of any evidence supporting the idea that former President Obama receives ongoing financial payments linked to the healthcare law.
Christopher Blair, the individual behind the America’s Last Line of Defense network, explained to Reuters that the storyline has proven remarkably effective over the years because it aligns with preexisting beliefs held by certain audiences. He highlighted how such narratives often spread rapidly among readers eager to encounter information that reinforces their viewpoints.
Prominent media figures also addressed the resurfaced claim promptly. CNN anchor Jake Tapper devoted airtime to clarifying the situation for viewers, stating unequivocally that no royalties of any kind flow to Barack Obama from the Affordable Care Act. He pointed directly to the parody origin of the story and emphasized that the entire website operates on fictional premises.
When members of the press sought comment from the White House regarding President Trump’s decision to share the post, a spokesperson focused on the financial trajectories of the two leaders after their time in office. The response noted Barack Obama’s acquisition of an impressive estate on Martha’s Vineyard following his presidency. By comparison, the spokesperson underscored that Donald Trump stands apart from recent predecessors as the sole modern president whose personal wealth decreased during his tenure, attributing this outcome to his unwavering commitment to prioritizing the interests of ordinary Americans over those of powerful lobbies.
The episode illustrates the swift pace at which information—accurate or otherwise—travels across social media platforms and reaches millions of users within hours. It also serves as a reminder of the importance of consulting multiple reputable sources before accepting extraordinary claims about public figures or major policy initiatives.
