No, US President Trump didn't warn Kenyan government to stop kidnapping young people
IN SHORT: A video of US president Donald Trump allegedly warning Kenyan president William Ruto against abducting young people is doing the rounds on social media in Kenya. But Trump never mentioned Ruto or the abductions in Kenya in his inauguration speech. The video is fake.
A video showing US president Donald Trump giving a speech after his inauguration is circulating on social media in Kenya.
Trump was sworn in as the 47th president of the United States on 20 January 2025.
The video is overlaid with the text: "Trump Acknowledges Rigathi Gachagua in his inauguration Speech and Issues Stern Warning to Ruto on abduction."
In it, he can be heard saying: "Today, as we celebrate democracy, I wanna take a moment to acknowledge a special guest who travelled all the way from Kenya to join us during this historic occasion. The former deputy president of Kenya, Rigathi, is a man of great integrity and vision, and has graced us with his presence."
Trump also appears to urge Kenyan president William Ruto's government to stop abducting young Kenyans:
However, I must address a troubling matter. Recent reports from Kenya highlight an alarming trend: disappearances and abductions targeting the youth. The current administration led by president William Ruto has been under scrutiny for these human rights violations. Let me be clear, no government should ever silence its youth or subject them to fear and oppression. This is not leadership. This is tyranny. To president Ruto, I say this: the world is watching. The youth of Kenya deserve peace, freedom, and a government that listens to them, not one that silences them. To the Gen Z of Kenya, let me tell you, your voices matter. You are the change makers, the dreamers who will shape the future of your country.
The video includes the logo of the British news agency, Sky News.
The context
Rigathi Gachagua was Kenya's deputy president until his impeachment in October 2024 after falling out with Ruto. Gachagua was accused of corruption, inciting ethnic divisions and undermining Ruto's government.
Ruto named Kenya's former interior minister Kithure Kindiki as Gachagua's replacement.
The impeachment came after months of anti-government protests, led mainly by young Kenyans referred to as Generation Z or Gen Z.
They took to the streets to protest the 2024 Finance Bill, which they claimed contained controversial tax hike proposals. They also demanded wider government reforms.
Kenyan police were accused of killing dozens of demonstrators during the protests. Since then, there has also been a surge in abductions believed to be carried out by state agents, seemingly targeting young people who are critics of the government.
While some of those abducted have been released, albeit looking traumatised, there are reports that some have disappeared only to be found dead. The cause of their deaths, however, remains speculative. The police have denied involvement in the abductions.
As president and deputy president, Ruto and Gachagua seemed to disagree on the cause of the protests and how to handle them. Their political differences have grown even wider after Gachagua's impeachment.
Both are now keen to show that they are more popular, and so they frequently engage in verbal confrontations. The circulating video tries to project Gachagua as a more popular politician than Ruto.
In his inauguration speech, did Trump acknowledge Gachagua's presence, and did he warn Ruto's administration over the abductions? We checked.
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Fake video
The first hint that the video may be fake is the presence of the CapCut logo in the top-left corner. CapCut is a video editing app.
Another clue is that Trump's lip movements are out of sync with the audio, suggesting manipulation.
Using the keywords "TRUMP INAUGURATION SKY NEWS", we searched and located the original video on the Sky News YouTube Channel. In his inauguration speech, Trump did not mention Gachagua or Ruto.
Gachagua often uses social media, including his verified Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) accounts, to update his followers about his daily engagements and whereabouts.
On 20 January, the day of Trump's inauguration, Gachagua met leaders from other regions at his residence in Nyeri county in central Kenya.
The video is fake and should be ignored.
