FORBES FACT CHECKS : Trump Posts Claim About Obamacare ‘Royalties’ That Originated On Satirical News Site
 

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President Donald Trump posted a fictitious headline claiming former President Barack Obama was previously collecting “royalties linked to Obamacare”—a claim that originated from a February post on a satirical news site called the “Dunning-Kruger Times.”

ByZachary Folk

The Truth Social post erroneously claims the former president has collected $40 million in taxpayer-funded “royalties” since 2010, when the Affordable Care Act was signed into law.

The post does not link to an article, but the claim originated on a website for a publication called the “Dunning-Kruger Times,” a subsidiary of the America’s Last Line of Defense network, which describes itself as a “network of parody, satire, and tomfoolery.”

“Everything on this website is fiction,” the website notes in its “About Us” section, later mocking readers, “if you believe that it is real, you should have your head examined.”

It is unclear why the president shared the post, which originated much earlier this year, and captioned it simply with “WOW!”

Crucial Quote

When asked for comment on the post, White House spokesperson Kush Desai said Obama “rapidly became a multi-millionaire who even bought a luxurious Martha’s Vineyard summer estate” after he left office. “Meanwhile, President Trump is the only president in modern history to have actually lost money in office because he has consistently put everyday Americans and America First – not special interests,” Desai said. A Forbes analysis in 2017 determined most of the wealth Obama made while in office came from two book deals, as well as about $3.1 million from his presidential salary. Forbes estimated his net worth at more than $70 million in 2024, with even more wealth coming from speaking fees and a massive deal with Netflix.

Key Background

The “Obamacare royalties” claim circulated earlier this year, as Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency dominated headlines while trying to enact cost-cutting measures across the federal government. The claim was quickly debunked by fact-checkers, but still was still spread widely over social media. “The ‘Obamacare Royalties’ storyline is one ALLOD has used successfully for years,” the site’s owner, Christopher Blair, told Reuters in March. “The operation thrives on confirmation bias.”

Why Are Republicans Talking About Obamacare?

The claim might be recirculating now as Democrats in the Senate fight to extend subsidies for the Affordable Care Act. Democrats have consistently voted against reopening the government until Republicans agree to address the issue, which could raise insurance premiums for Americans without further intervention. Negotiations have been deadlocked for weeks, resulting in the longest government shutdown in history.