Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Altered Video That Makes Pelosi Seem Drunk Goes Viral
gvw_ap_news
By Associated Press
Published 6 years ago on
May 24, 2019

Share

Video footage slowed down to give the false impression that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was slurring her words is circulating widely across social media platforms.

The distorted video is based on real footage from a Center for American Progress conference in Washington on Wednesday, showing Pelosi referencing her claim that President Donald Trump was engaged in a cover-up. As of early Friday, the altered version had raked in millions of views.

Associated Press journalists did a side-by-side comparison of the false video with C-SPAN footage and concluded that the altered video had been slowed down. AP journalists who monitored the event said Pelosi appeared coherent throughout.

Hany Farid, a digital forensics expert at the University of California, Berkeley, said the video had been slowed down by 75%, creating a significant distortion in Pelosi’s speech.

“It is not somebody using the latest technology,” Farid said. “Anybody can do this.”

Experts on “deepfake” videos have been warning about the potential of digitally altered videos to push fraudulent claims.

The video emerged as the relationship between Trump and Pelosi has deteriorated into her questioning his fitness for office and the president attacking her sanity. Early Wednesday, Pelosi said she believed Trump had engaged in a cover-up of the Russia probe. Pelosi repeated her comments about Trump later at the conference.

Posts claiming Pelosi appears drunk or sluggish during events often make the rounds on social media following her press conferences.

Not the First Case of ‘Dumb Fakes’

Contacted about the video Friday, a Pelosi spokesman referred to a tweet from the speaker the day before. The tweet was in response to Trump’s criticism of Pelosi. “When the ‘extremely stable genius’ starts acting more presidential, I’ll be happy to work with him on infrastructure, trade and other issues,” Pelosi’s tweet said.

Farid said the latest video is reminiscent of an altered video of CNN reporter Jim Acosta that was tweeted out by the Trump administration last year.

“What worries me is that these dumb fakes have whipped up the president, the White House, Giuliani and his supporters,” he said, referring to Rudy Giuliani, Trump’s personal attorney. “What is going to happen when you get these sophisticated fakes?”

DON'T MISS

What to Know About Pam Bondi, Trump’s New Pick for Attorney General

DON'T MISS

North Korean Leader Says Past Diplomacy Only Confirmed US Hostility

DON'T MISS

Democrats Strike Deal to Get More Biden Judges Confirmed Before Congress Adjourns

DON'T MISS

Newsom Gaslights on Potential Gas Price Hikes in Fresno Visit

DON'T MISS

Automakers to Trump: Please Require Us to Sell Electric Vehicles

DON'T MISS

President Biden Welcomes 2024 NBA Champion Boston Celtics to White House

DON'T MISS

Ohtani Makes History With 3rd MVP, Judge Claims 2nd AL Honor

DON'T MISS

Trump Chooses Pam Bondi for Attorney General Pick After Gaetz Withdraws

DON'T MISS

Average Rate on a 30-Year Mortgage in the US Rises to Highest Level Since July

DON'T MISS

Cutting in Line? American Airlines’ New Boarding Tech Might Stop You at Now Over 100 Airports

UP NEXT

Ex-State Department Official: Israeli Military Gets Preferential Treatment on Abuses

UP NEXT

Sacramento Prosecutor Sues California’s Capital City Over Failure to Clean Up Homeless Encampments

UP NEXT

Sacramento Prosecutor Sues California’s Capital City Over Failure to Clean Up Homeless Encampments

UP NEXT

Trump Arrives in Florida for History-Making Court Appearance in Secret Docs Case

UP NEXT

Trump Arrives in Florida for History-Making Court Appearance in Secret Docs Case

UP NEXT

Pence Testifies Before Election Probe Grand Jury

UP NEXT

House Republicans Pass US Debt Bill, Push Biden on Spending

UP NEXT

Mike Pence Wants Swift Execution of Mass Shooters to Combat Gun Violence

UP NEXT

As Defense Chief, Carter Opened Combat Jobs to Women, Ended Transgender Ban

UP NEXT

Israeli Forces Raid Gunmen’s Hideout in West Bank; 5 Palestinians Killed

Newsom Gaslights on Potential Gas Price Hikes in Fresno Visit

8 hours ago

Automakers to Trump: Please Require Us to Sell Electric Vehicles

9 hours ago

President Biden Welcomes 2024 NBA Champion Boston Celtics to White House

9 hours ago

Ohtani Makes History With 3rd MVP, Judge Claims 2nd AL Honor

9 hours ago

Trump Chooses Pam Bondi for Attorney General Pick After Gaetz Withdraws

9 hours ago

Average Rate on a 30-Year Mortgage in the US Rises to Highest Level Since July

10 hours ago

Cutting in Line? American Airlines’ New Boarding Tech Might Stop You at Now Over 100 Airports

10 hours ago

MLB Will Test Robot Umpires at 13 Spring Training Ballparks Hosting 19 Teams

10 hours ago

Death Toll in Gaza From Israel-Hamas War Passes 44,000, Palestinian Officials Say

11 hours ago

Jussie Smollett’s Conviction in 2019 Attack on Himself Is Overturned

11 hours ago

What to Know About Pam Bondi, Trump’s New Pick for Attorney General

NEW YORK — Pam Bondi, the former Florida attorney general, was chosen Thursday by Donald Trump to serve as U.S. attorney general hours after...

6 hours ago

6 hours ago

What to Know About Pam Bondi, Trump’s New Pick for Attorney General

7 hours ago

North Korean Leader Says Past Diplomacy Only Confirmed US Hostility

7 hours ago

Democrats Strike Deal to Get More Biden Judges Confirmed Before Congress Adjourns

8 hours ago

Newsom Gaslights on Potential Gas Price Hikes in Fresno Visit

President Joe Biden with Mary Barra, the chief executive of General Motors, at the Detroit Auto Show, Sept. 14, 2022. President-elect Donald Trump has promised to erase the Biden administration’s tailpipe rules designed to get carmakers to produce electric vehicles, but most U.S. automakers want to keep them. (Doug Mills/The New York Times)
9 hours ago

Automakers to Trump: Please Require Us to Sell Electric Vehicles

9 hours ago

President Biden Welcomes 2024 NBA Champion Boston Celtics to White House

9 hours ago

Ohtani Makes History With 3rd MVP, Judge Claims 2nd AL Honor

Former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, speaks before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump arrives to speak at a campaign rally at First Horizon Coliseum, Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, in Greensboro, NC. (AP/Alex Brandon)
9 hours ago

Trump Chooses Pam Bondi for Attorney General Pick After Gaetz Withdraws

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend