Short Answer: False. There is no credible evidence that Ireland’s president refused to sit near Donald Trump because he emitted a "fecal" odor. The allegation originated in a Threads post on Sept. 13, 2026 and was not reported by reputable U.S., international, or Irish news outlets. Searches of Google News, Yahoo News, and RTÉ turned up no corroborating coverage.
Fact Check: No Evidence Irish President Sat Away From Trump Because Of A 'Fecal' Odor
Lead Stories says: No Reports
Claims that Ireland's president, Catherine Connolly, refused to sit near Donald Trump during his September 2026 visit because he emitted a "fecal" smell are false. A social media post circulated this allegation, but searches of major news outlets and Ireland's national broadcaster found no corroboration.
What Was Claimed
On Sept. 13, 2026, a Threads account (@lakota_man) posted that “the foreign press” reported Connolly insisted on being seated away from Trump because he was emanating a "disgusting 'fecal' like nauseating odor.” The post included an image of the claim and was shared widely on social platforms.
What The Record Shows
No reputable U.S. or international news organizations reported this allegation. Trump’s meeting with Connolly during his September 2026 visit was covered by outlets such as NPR and other international media, but none attributed any seating decision to an offensive odor.
Image source: post by @lakota_man on Threads.
Fact-checkers and news aggregators also turned up nothing to support the claim. Searches of Google News and Yahoo News returned no reports matching the allegation. Ireland’s largest broadcaster, RTÉ, likewise showed no coverage indicating that Connolly refused to sit near Trump because of a "fecal" smell.
Why This Matters
If a head-of-state had refused to sit near another leader for such a reason, it would be a major diplomatic detail likely reported by multiple reliable outlets. The absence of any such reporting strongly suggests the Threads post was inaccurate or misleading.
"The foreign press is now reporting that Catherine Connolly, the President of Ireland, insisted on being seated away from Trump because he was emanating a disgusting 'fecal' like nauseating odor." — Post on Threads, Sept. 13, 2026
Bottom line: There is no credible evidence that President Catherine Connolly refused to sit near Donald Trump because of a foul odor. The claim originated on social media and has not been substantiated by major news organizations or Ireland’s national media.
Note on verification: Searches referenced above were performed across major news aggregators and RTÉ archives; no corroborating reports were found as of the date of this fact check.
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