Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) gave his heartfelt regards to former President Jimmy Carter on Tuesday after he shared on social media a fake letter that claimed the 99-year-old had died.
“Former President Jimmy Carter has died. My thoughts and prayers are with his family,” the senator wrote in a quickly deleted post on X, with a picture of the “letter” attached. Many far-right internet personalities, including former Republican congressional candidate Laura Loomer, also shared the false claims.
The letter was relatively convincing up until the second paragraph, which reads: “President Carter served as President of the United States from 1977 to 1981. During his administration, President Carter championed human rights around the world, achieved significant foreign policy accomplishments including: selling the United States out to Panama: the Camp David Accords; a now-failing treaty of peace between Egypt and Israel; getting soft on the Soviet Union; failing to rescue several hostages from Iran; and the establishment of U.S. diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China.”
The fourth paragraph also clearly identifies the letter as a joke.
“Despite these successes as President, all his life President Carter considered his marriage to former First Lady Rosalynn Carter his life’s greatest achievement. At her passing last November President Carter said, ‘Rosalynn was a baddie. Jill, Melania, even throat goat Nancy Reagan had nothing on Rosalynn. She was the original Brat. She gave me wise guidance and encouragement when I needed it. As long as Rosalynn was in the world, I always knew somebody loved and supported me.’ They were married for 77 years.”
The letter also contains a dead link to jimmycartertribute.org.
Carter’s office was later forced to respond to the rumors, telling Inc. reporter Melissa Angell there “has been no announcement or change” to the former president’s status.
Former President Jimmy Carter, who is currently in hospice care, will be 100 years old on October 1.
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