FACT-CHECK: Did Donald Trump Issue a Letter Promising to Monitor the 2026 Osun Election?
BY: Hafiz Rabiu
Claim:
A letter circulating on Facebook claims to be from United States President Donald J. Trump, in which he acknowledges an appeal concerning the upcoming Osun State governorship election and says his administration will closely monitor developments in the state and engage relevant authorities to protect voters.
Verdict: False.
Full Text:
A letter purportedly signed by United States President Donald J. Trump and dated August 11, 2026 is circulating on Facebook, claiming that the US president had acknowledged concerns about tension and possible violence ahead of the Osun State governorship election.
The letter, headed “The White House, Washington,” is addressed simply to “Dear Concerned Citizen.” It says Trump had received an “urgent appeal” about the situation in Osun State and had taken note of concerns about tension, possible violence, intimidation and disruption of the democratic process.
It further states that the people of Osun deserve to vote freely and peacefully and that the United States wants “peace, transparency, and a free and fair election.”
Verification:
The document is circulating through a Facebook post, rather than through an official White House communication channel.
A simple Facebook search also returns posts reproducing the distinctive wording from the document, including the sentence about Trump’s administration monitoring developments in Osun State.
FactCheckAfrica searched the White House’s current public records for August 11 and August 12, 2026, including its news releases, presidential statements, videos and other published material.
No White House publication corresponding to the alleged letter was found.
The White House’s official news page for August 11, 2026 lists presidential releases and statements issued around that date, including a release titled “America First Means Ohio First: President Trump, Republicans Deliver for Ohio.” There is no corresponding statement or letter concerning Osun State among the listed presidential communications.
The White House’s official video archive also records presidential activity on August 10 and August 11, 2026, but contains no corresponding Osun election address or statement.
The letter claims that Trump would act “upon my return from the United Kingdom.”
Further searches on recent news about President Trump shows that a Reuters report published August 12, 2026 said Trump had secretly switched aircraft in Turkey, with the president travelling on a military aircraft while journalists and White House staff remained on Air Force One.
This reporting does not support the alleged letter’s statement that Trump was returning from the United Kingdom.
FactCheckAfrica found that a Nigerian music star David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, publicly appealed to Trump and the international community to pay attention to the Osun governorship election and concerns about possible violence and voter intimidation. Reports of the appeal were published on August 12, 2026, and the appeal was also circulating on social media. However, we could not establish that Trump responded to it.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) confirms that the Osun State governorship election is scheduled for August 15, 2026.
The only related record of the United States previously commenting on Nigerian elections, including Osun elections was during the 2018 Osun governorship election, the US Embassy in Nigeria called for a peaceful conclusion to the electoral process. The Deputy Chief of Mission at the time urged candidates and their supporters to remain peaceful and respect the results announced by INEC.
Conclusion:
The letter circulating on Facebook and attributed to United States President Donald J. Trump was not supported by any official White House record.
The document contains a significant inconsistency concerning Trump’s whereabouts. It says the president would act “upon my return from the United Kingdom,” while official White House material on August 11, 2026 placed Trump returning to Ohio, and subsequent reporting placed him in the context of a flight change involving Turkey.
