MSNBC host Joe Scarborough expressed shock Wednesday at a purported quote taken from the phone call between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky that was actually from a parody transcript.
The Twitter account for Comedy Central's The Daily Show tweeted out a joke screenshot of the much-awaited transcript that appeared to show Trump floundering because he didn't know who he was talking to.
"It’s very impressive, what you’ve done, with that country, and the people of that country. Where it is. The people in the buildings, in that country. A wonderful place that I know very well – it has great roads and food. And I know what it is and who you are," it read.
Are we sure Trump knew who he was talking to on this call pic.twitter.com/1tgWxTthIc
— The Daily Show (@TheDailyShow) September 25, 2019
The comedy talk show regularly manipulates photos for a punchline, but Scarborough apparently fell for the gag, sharing a sentence from the screenshot with a "mind blown" emoji.
The Morning Joe host deleted his tweet without explanation after being called out by others on social media.
Major media figures falling for parody transcripts that even have the Daily Show watermark aren't helping things. https://t.co/c1hiVaFWdv
— Matt Whitlock (@mattdizwhitlock) September 25, 2019
you know that's a joke, right?
— David Rutz (@DavidRutz) September 25, 2019
HAHAAHAAHHAAAHAHA https://t.co/2QnuXTv4cW
— Comfortably Smug (@ComfortablySmug) September 25, 2019
Scarborough did keep up a tweet he sent a minute later asking of the Zelensky transcript, "Why did White House lawyers release this? It is damning."
Why did White House lawyers release this? It is damning.
— Joe Scarborough (@JoeNBC) September 25, 2019