Claim: A tweet has gone viral about how DOGE is spending tax payers money that was given to the United States Government.

Verifying claims on social media is essential to prevent the spread of misinformation. I will be using the SIFT method– stop, investigate the source, find better coverage, and trace claims to their original context- to evaluate this specific tweet.​ I’ll also be using lateral reading and have multiple tabs open as verification.

Step #1- Stop: When I first read the tweet from @MilaLovesJoe, it immediately raised red flags for me. The claim made was a serious one: that USAID gave $84 million to Haiti relief- but a portion of that money was allegedly spent on Chelsea Clinton’s wedding and a luxury mansion. The tweet also referenced DOGE as confirming the information.

Step #2- Investigate the source: The first thing I did was take a closer look at @MilaLovesJoe’s Twitter profile. I could see that they often share political opinions- which might mean their posts could be influenced by personal beliefs rather than objective facts. The tweet itself didn’t provide any sources or direct links to support the claim.

An article posted by Forbes stated that outrage spreads faster on Twitter, based on analysis from 44 news outlets, highlighting its impact on public discourse and news coverage. This was confirmation to myself that not everything you see from Twitter is always correct information. It is just the fact that it is the form of social media that spreads quicker then others.

Step #3- Find better coverage: After investigating the claim that USAID allocated $84 million to Haiti relief efforts, with $3 million spent on Chelsea Clinton’s wedding and $10 million on a luxury mansion, I found no credible evidence supporting these allegations.​

Step #4- Trace the claims, part 1: After doing research on Google, I have found multiple sources for both claims. According to the U.S. Government Accountability Office, since the 2010 earthquake- USAID has allocated just under $3 billion to support reconstruction and development in Haiti, focusing on health outcomes, economic and food security, and governance. Additionally, the Center for Economic and Policy Research reports that since 2010, USAID has distributed at least $2.13 billion in contracts and grants for Haiti-related work, with a significant portion directed toward U.S.-based organizations.

Step #5- Trace the claims, part 2: The Clinton Foundation has not received funding from USAID since at least the 2008 fiscal year. While the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), a separate nonprofit, did receive a $7.5 million USAID grant from 2019 to 2021- this funding was directed toward increasing access to basic health services in Zambia, not for activities in Haiti. Also, there is no credible evidence to suggest that USAID funds were used for Chelsea Clinton’s wedding or the purchase of a luxury mansion.

Conclusion: Based on available information online, my verdict of the allegations regarding the misuse of USAID funds for personal expenses related to Chelsea Clinton are not true. The majority of USAID’s funding in Haiti has been directed toward reconstruction and development efforts, with a significant portion allocated to U.S.-based organizations. Also, The Clinton Foundation has not received USAID funding for Chelsea Clinton’s wedding and the purchase of a luxury mansion.

When fact-checking a claim that you might think is misinformation, use the SIFT method and lateral reading. By using sources such as Google to research the original source and gather context. When misinformation on social media is so widely spread- it is necessary to investigate. Especially because this where people often twist information or present it out of context to promote a specific political narrative.