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Fact check: Obama created fake Westgate

Checked on August 25, 2025

1. Summary of the results

The analyses reveal that no credible evidence exists to support the claim that "Obama created fake Westgate." The sources examined fall into two distinct categories that are entirely unrelated to the original statement:

  • Obamagate conspiracy theories: Multiple sources [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] discuss allegations that Barack Obama spied on Donald Trump, but none mention "Westgate" or any related terms.
  • The actual 2013 Westgate Mall attack: Sources [6] [7] [8] document the real terrorist attack that occurred at Westgate Mall in Nairobi, Kenya, carried out by the Somali Islamist group Al-Shabab. This was a genuine tragedy that killed dozens of people, with no connection to Obama or any fabrication.

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original statement appears to conflate or confuse several unrelated topics:

  • The Westgate Mall attack was a documented historical event that occurred in September 2013 in Kenya, extensively covered by international media and investigated by authorities [6] [7] [8].
  • "Obamagate" refers to conspiracy theories promoted primarily by Donald Trump and his supporters, alleging that Obama's administration improperly surveilled Trump's campaign and transition team [1] [2] [3] [4] [5].
  • Media framing studies have examined how different news outlets covered the Westgate attack, comparing Kenyan and US perspectives, but found no evidence of fabrication [8].

Political actors who might benefit from promoting unfounded conspiracy theories about Obama include Trump and his allies, who have consistently pushed "Obamagate" narratives to deflect from other investigations [4] [5].

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The statement "Obama created fake Westgate" appears to be completely fabricated misinformation for several reasons:

  • No factual basis: None of the analyzed sources provide any evidence supporting this claim [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8].
  • Disrespectful to victims: The claim trivializes a real terrorist attack that resulted in actual deaths and trauma for survivors and families affected by the Westgate Mall attack [6] [7].
  • Potential confusion of terms: The statement may be attempting to link Obama to the "Westgate" name while conflating it with "Obamagate" conspiracy theories, creating a false narrative that combines unrelated events.
  • Lack of credible sourcing: The complete absence of any supporting evidence in multiple source analyses suggests this claim originates from unreliable or deliberately misleading sources.
Want to dive deeper?
What was Barack Obama's official statement on the Westgate attack?
How many people were killed in the 2013 Westgate shopping mall attack?
What evidence supports or refutes claims of Obama's involvement in the Westgate attack?
Who were the perpetrators of the Westgate shopping mall attack in 2013?
How did the international community respond to the Westgate attack in 2013?