Did Donald Trump make a post on Truth Social announcing plans for the Melania Canal to bypass the Welland Canal for direct access to Lake America? No, that's not true: Donald Trump never made this post. The fake screenshot has satire watermarks from the account 'Mrs. Putin' as well as intentional clues such as the backwards verification check and fake account handle @realDotardTurmp.
The fake screenshot appeared in a post (archived here) by the account @peepeeLEpuke on X on Aug. 29, 2026. The image reads:
Donald J. Turmp
@realDotardTurmp
The FAKE NEWS is saying we need the Canadian canals that connect to LAKE AMERICA. Total lie! We don't need their small, low-energy Welland Canal! America built the Panama Canal, we built the Suez Canal-incredible, beautiful, high-IQ canals! I have officially instructed the Army Corps of Engineers to build a much BIGGER, DEEPER, WIDER, and far more powerful canal bypass connecting straight into Lake America! It is going to be magnificent! And we are naming it after my stunning, beautiful wife: THE MELANIA CANAL. Every American will be able to EASILY enter the Melania Canal from BOTH the front end and the back side for a very minimal fee! Thank you for your attention to this matter.
8647 Re Truths 49k disLikes AUG 29, 22026, 13:62 AM
This is what the post looked like on X at the time of writing:
(Image source: post by @peepeeLEpuke on X.)
This post appeared two days after Donald Trump signed an executive order, changing the name of Lake Ontario to Lake America (archived here). The image has three watermarks in grey text that are difficult to read because they are blurry. They say '@Mrs. Putin Satire'.
The Mrs. Putin account on Facebook (archived here) is labeled as Satire/Parody and the bio reads:
A fictional character based on a selfish crook who inadvertently found wealth and power. ** This page publishes hateful and stupid messages it receives.
The watermarks in the post published by Mrs. Putin (pictured below) on Facebook on Aug. 29, 2026, are more distinct than in the @peepeeLEpuke post on X (archived here). This is what the post looked like on Facebook at the time of writing:
(Image source: post by Mrs. Putin on Facebook.)
Beyond the watermarks and crude innuendo, several other details mark the screenshot as fabricated. The name of the account in the fake screenshot is not the real handle of Donald Trump, @realDonaldTrump; instead it reads @realDotardTurmp. The pink Truth Social verification badge is flipped backwards, and the number of ReTruths is 8647, a slang term (archived here). Rather than likes, the number of "disLikes" is displayed, there is a "Satire" label near the heart-shaped like button. The year displayed in the datestamp is 22026, and the hour "13:62 AM" is an impossibility.
Lead Stories has published several fact checks on parody spoofs originating from this Mrs. Putin account.
