Overview
- Screenshots that circulated across X appear to show Eric Trump direct‑messaging Daniel Cormier asking for fighter tips and whether any bouts were “rigged” from the UFC Freedom 250 event on June 14.
- Both men have denied the messages: Eric Trump called the images “completely fake” and AI‑generated, and Daniel Cormier says his account was hacked and that he did not post the screenshots.
- Independent checks found no visible AI watermark or obvious manipulation in the images but said screenshots alone cannot be definitively authenticated without original metadata or other corroborating evidence.
- Archival captures and multiple users’ copies indicate Cormier’s account likely posted and then deleted the screenshots, and Cormier says the episode distracted him and prompted sponsor inquiries during the broadcast.
- The episode underscores how current detection tools can fail, raises ethical and potential gambling concerns tied to a corporate‑funded UFC card on the White House South Lawn, and leaves open what investigators or platform logs might still reveal.