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Claim: A Threads user, @whispersnews, claims that US President Donald Trump has appointed his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, as president of Ukraine.
Verdict: False. No evidence shows that Trump has appointed Jared Kushner as Ukraine’s president. Ukraine’s official presidential website still identifies Volodymyr Zelenskyy as the country’s president.
Full Text
A Threads user, @whispersnews, claimed that United States President Donald Trump has unseated Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and replaced him with Jared Kushner, his son-in-law.
The post caption reads, “Trump Appoints Son-In-Law President Of Ukraine.”
The post includes a link to an article published by Waterford Whispers News and an image of Donald Trump alongside his son-in-law, Jared Kushner. The same account posted the same content on Facebook and Instagram.
At the time the post was captured, it had garnered approximately 333 likes, 346 comments, 39 reposts and 145 shares.
Because the post could mislead readers, DUBAWA verified the claims.
Verification
DUBAWA traced the claim to an article published on Oct. 12, 2026, by Waterford Whispers News. The article claims that Trump unilaterally named Kushner president of Ukraine following disagreements with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
However, the article contains clear signs of satire. It attributes an absurd statement to Kushner about his qualifications for the presidency and makes exaggerated jokes about other political figures.
Photo: Screenshot of the absurd statement attributed to Kushner and the exaggerated jokes about other political figures in the article
These elements indicate that the article is intended as political satire rather than factual reporting.
A ‘disclaimer’ page on the website also identifies it as a satirical newspaper.
DUBAWA also checked the official website of the President of Ukraine. The website continues to identify Volodymyr Zelenskyy as Ukraine’s president and publishes his official statements and government activities. No announcement confirming Kushner’s appointment appears in the official information reviewed.
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian presidency’s official website reported on Oct 18, 2026, that Kushner participated in diplomatic discussions as a US presidential envoy alongside Steve Witkoff. These reports identify him as an American representative involved in peace efforts, not as Ukraine’s president.
DUBAWA also reviewed Donald Trump’s Truth Social account, but found no such announcement.
According to the official website of the President of Ukraine, Ukrainian citizens elect the president through universal, equal, and direct suffrage by secret ballot for a five-year term, and the president can only be removed from office by impeachment. Trump therefore has no authority to appoint Ukraine’s president.
The evidence indicates that the post presents a satirical article as though it describes an actual political appointment. The blue verification badge on the Threads account does not, in itself, establish that every claim shared by the account is true.
Conclusion
The claim is false. Donald Trump has not appointed Jared Kushner as president of Ukraine. The story originated from Waterford Whispers News, a satirical news outlet known for humour and exaggeration.