WASHINGTON, DC — In the wake of the United Nations General Assembly, social media users have been sharing a viral claim involving Secretary of State Marco Rubio. According to the online rumor, Rubio allegedly stated that President Donald Trump would only meet with Iranian officials this week on the condition that they have no professional ties to media outlets currently barred from the White House. The post quickly gained traction, leaving many users uncertain about its authenticity and prompting calls for verification.
Claim: Trump’s Meeting Conditions Exclude Banned Media Personnel
The widely shared Facebook post alleged that when Rubio was asked if President Trump planned to meet with Iranian representatives at the UN, he responded with, “President Trump is willing to meet with anyone, as long as they don’t work for CNN, MS NOW, or Politico.”
The statement provoked swift reactions across social media platforms, with some users criticizing the supposed stance, while others questioned whether the quote was genuine, leading to a closer look at the facts.
Fact Check: Marco Rubio Never Made the Statement
An investigation into the quote reveals that it is entirely false. There are no official records, transcripts, or credible news reports indicating that Rubio made any such remark regarding meeting conditions for Iranian officials.
Given Rubio’s high-profile position, a remark of that nature would have immediately drawn widespread media attention. However, comprehensive searches yield no evidence of the quote outside of social media speculation.
While Rubio did address the diplomatic situation following US-Iran discussions on the sidelines of the UNGA—noting that the talks failed to yield a breakthrough and remarking that participants “killed the MOU, they strangled it”—he made no mention of media organizations in connection with potential meetings.
The rumor actually originated from The Borowitz Report, a well-known satirical publication. The statement was intended entirely as political parody rather than a factual report.
Context: White House Media Restrictions
The satirical post draws on recent real-world events involving press access. President Trump previously announced that reporters from CNN, Politico, and MS NOW would have their White House access revoked, accusing them of spreading misleading information and warning that additional organizations could face similar restrictions.
“I am proud to announce that, effective immediately, I am banning Fake News CNN, MSNOW … and Politico … from the White House as a result of their constant ‘reporting’ FAKE NEWS!” Trump posted on Truth Social.
Elaborating on the decision during an interaction with reporters, Trump stated, “Because they’re fake news. You get so tired of reading and seeing fake news. When you look at CNN, it’s just fake. That’s why their ratings are no good. When you look at MS NOW…, it’s fake news.”