This archive report was first published on 18 September 2019.
On November 1st, 2017, former US President Barack Obama spoke at the Obama Foundation Summit in Chicago, Illinois. In a lighthearted moment, he joked that he was born in Kenya, sparking laughter from the audience.
However, the joke was not lost on many, particularly in the context of the birther conspiracy theory that had been circulating for years. This theory, which claimed that Obama was not born in the United States, had been a major talking point in the run-up to the 2016 presidential election.
Donald Trump, who had risen to prominence in part due to his claims about Obama's birthplace, was among those who had perpetuated the conspiracy theory. Despite later admitting that Obama was born in the US, the damage had already been done.
Obama's joke, therefore, was not just a lighthearted comment but also a clever way of trolling those who had spread the conspiracy theory. By jokingly claiming to be born in Kenya, he was able to poke fun at the absurdity of the birther movement and its proponents.
As the audience laughed along with Obama's joke, it was clear that the message had already been passed: the birther conspiracy theory was nothing more than a baseless claim with no basis in fact.
