FactCheck.org

Unverified Teddy Roosevelt ‘Quotation’ Lives On

Quick Take

Viral social media posts attribute a quotation about how “to anger” a conservative and a liberal to President Theodore Roosevelt. But there’s no evidence he ever said it.


Full Story

A popular meme revived on social media puts words in the mouth of President Theodore Roosevelt.

“To anger a conservative, lie to him,” the quotation reads. “To anger a liberal, tell him the truth.”

That supposed quotation has online for years

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from FactCheck.org

FactCheck.org4 min read
Posts Misrepresent Views of Eclipse With Composite Images
During the April 8 eclipse, people in the path of totality were able to see solar phenomena, including the sun's corona. But social media posts have shared altered or composite images of these phenomena, claiming one image was "captured by NASA." It
FactCheck.org6 min read
Posts Misrepresent Immigrants’ Eligibility for Social Security Numbers, Benefits
Immigrants who are lawfully living or authorized to work in the U.S. are eligible for a Social Security number and, in some cases, Social Security benefits. But viral posts make the false claim that "illegal immigrants" can receive Social Security nu
FactCheck.org6 min readAmerican Government
Biden’s Dubious Civil Rights Arrest Anecdote
In his interview with SiriusXM radio's Howard Stern, President Joe Biden revived a dubious anecdote about having been arrested as a teenager while standing in solidarity on the porch of a Black family amid a desegregation protest. The post Biden’s Du

Related Books & Audiobooks