A liberal news website fell for a false statement from former President Trump that appeared to condemn the seizure and subsequent death of an Instagram-famous squirrel named Peanut.
The site was duped after a bizarre fake press release emblazoned with the Trump campaign logo was posted on X.
The language seemed similar in tone to that used by Trump during his campaign, perhaps making it too easy for someone to mistakenly believe the words are true.
In the fake post, Trump lamented how Peanut and Fred the Raccoon were taken from owner Mark Longo and “executed by the state of New York” thanks to “their terrible governor,” Democrat Kathy Hochul.
A liberal news website fell for a false statement from former President Trump that appeared to condemn the seizure and subsequent death of an Instagram-famous squirrel named Peanut.
The site was duped after a bizarre fake press release emblazoned with the Trump campaign logo was posted on X. Despite the compelling prose, the entire post was false.
“If Peanut could have told them he was from Mexico, they would have sent him over and given him a hotel room and a $500 gift card to Buddy Squirrel,” the post joked.
Peanut was “innocent in every respect,” the statement mocked, comparing the rodent to a migrant.
When the real Trump campaign learned of the conclusion, they clarified that it was false.
“It’s a false statement,” said Trump spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt. The New York Post. “He didn’t actually say that,” he added.
On Saturday, the man who took in the orphaned squirrel and turned it into a social media star vowed that New York state’s decision to confiscate and euthanize the animal “will not go unnoticed.”
“We will take a stance on how this government and the state of New York use their resources,” Mark Longo said.
Peanut the squirrel had more than 580,000 followers online and seemed to spread joy.
Mark explained how he tried to return the animal to the wild, but it just came back.
The squirrel had lived with Mark Longo for the past seven years.
He declined to specify his possible next steps, but said authorities would soon hear from him about what happened to both Peanut and Fred, a rescued raccoon that was also confiscated and euthanized.
The state Department of Environmental Conservation removed the animals Wednesday from Longo’s home and animal sanctuary in rural Pine City, near the Pennsylvania border.
The agency said it had received complaints that wildlife was being kept illegally and potentially unsafely.
State law requires people to obtain a license if they wish to own a wild animal. Longo has said that he was working to get Peanut – also known as P’Nut or PNUT – certified as an educational animal.
The DEC and Chemung County Health Department said Friday that the squirrel and raccoon were euthanized so they could be tested for rabies after Peanut bit someone involved in the investigation.
On Saturday, Longo said he did not see Peanut bite anyone during what he described as an hours-long search.
Authorities have not spoken to him since they left the property, he said.
Peanut was euthanized because state law requires people to obtain a license if they wish to keep a wild animal in their own home.
The small rodent seemed to be an integral part of family life in the rural New York state home.
Peanut the squirrel and his owners, Mark Longo and his wife, are seen in Peanut’s Instagram videos and stills.
“Honestly, this still seems a little surreal to me, that the state I live in actually attacked me and took two of the most beloved animals on this planet, didn’t even quarantine them. They took them out of my house and just They killed them,’ he said.
Longo said she began caring for Peanut after the animal’s mother was hit by a car in New York City seven years ago.
Tens of thousands of users on Instagram, TikTok and other social media platforms saw the animal sporting tiny hats, doing tricks and nibbling on waffles it held between its tiny paws.
Longo said they left Fred the raccoon on their doorstep a few months ago. After helping the animal recover from its injuries, Longo said, he and his wife planned to release the creature into the woods.
Several memes appeared on social media as one lawmaker took to X to express his frustration over the news.
Several memes appeared over the course of Saturday following Peanut’s death.
The squirrel could perform tricks like jumping through hoops
Peanut was eating a waffle with crocheted bunny ears in one of his popular photos.
“New York State DEC needs a serious reality check on its ridiculously misguided priorities.” New York Rep. Nick Langworthy (R-NY) wrote in a post.
‘Instead of focusing on critical needs like flood mitigation in places like Steuben County, where local officials have to fight just to get permits from the DEC to clear debris-filled waterways, they are taking in squirrels as pets. “New York taxpayers deserve better.”
Others on social media were also incredulous at what had happened.
“Peanut the Squirrel’s owner talks about our government kidnapping this squirrel raccoon brother and then just taking his life for no reason,” one user said.
“They said that four departments and a judge had to approve for this kidnapping and euthanasia to occur.”
“This can’t be real,” said another user. ‘Is this a joke? Are you kidding me? They actually sent a SWAT team to look for a squirrel and a raccoon.
‘Now I find out that apparently Peanut the Squirrel had a lot of followers on TikTok. So someone explain this to me. Maybe I don’t understand it. Are our squirrels dangerous?