A post shared on social media purports that the Republican vice presidential candidate, J.D. Vance, follows the suspect for the recent assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump.

why does JD Vance follow the trump shooter lmao pic.twitter.com/fQFwurQnZY

— anti-zionist dog 🇵🇸 (@puppydog_gaming) September 15, 2024

Verdict: False

The account is a parody.

Fact Check:

Trump’s would-be assassin suspect Ryan Wesley Routh has two charges and is set for a hearing at the end of September, CNN reported. Additional charges are possible as the investigation continues while the suspect stays in jail until trial, according to the outlet.

A post shared on X, formerly known as Twitter, allegedly shows a screenshot of the social media followers of Trump’s attempted assassination suspect Routh. The image apparently shows that Vance followed his account.

The caption reads, “why does JD Vance follow the trump shooter lmao.”

The claim is inaccurate. The J.D. Vance account in the screenshot is a parody account and its bio identifies the account as satire. It reads, “Christian, husband, dad. U.S. Senator for Ohio. Hoping to be your next Vice President. Satire.”

Furthermore, Vance’s real account handle is @JDVance, not @JDVanceRep as shown in the screenshot. Vance’s real account does not follow Routh on social media.

In response to the assassination attempt, Vance said “the left needs to tone down the rhetoric” as he blames it for the violence, according to CNN. (RELATED: Did Donald Trump Post A Score In The Aftermath Of Assassination Attempt?)

This is not the first time misinformation has circulated online. Check Your Fact recently debunked a claim that an X post showed a legitimate ABC News debate poll.