By LawInspectsA surprising story has been going around on social media lately: that Karoline Leavitt, the White House Press Secretary, sued the ABC network and some of its famous host for trolling and won $800 million.
But is this story real? In this post that debunks this myth, we’ll talk about what we know, what isn’t true, and why rumors keep going around social media and YouTube.
What Is the Claim?
On social media and YouTube, headlines say:
“Karoline Leavitt WINS $800M Lawsuit Against ABC Network at Last!” The tale mostly says:
Leavitt sued ABC Network and its hosts, namely Whoopi Goldberg, Jimmy Kimmel, and Sunny Hostin, for trolling her.
She won a $800 million judgment.
Some versions even say that the ABC Network went into crisis mode, with advertisers dropping out and hosts apparently requesting her to drop the legal case.
These stories are really dramatic, but are they true?
Has Leavitt sued ABC Network?
There is no proof that Karoline Leavitt has filed, let alone won, any such legal action.
What do all fact-checking sites say?
Snopes says the claim isn’t true and came from various YouTube channels that aren’t trustworthy or are meant for entertainment purposes. One video even says that it is merely for fun.
There are no court records, official comments, or trustworthy news stories that back up any of these claims.
Other reliable fact-checkers have also confirmed that this case does not exist and that similar hoaxes have been spread in the past to target well-known people.
What about the videos that went viral?
- The videos that are spreading this idea are mostly the clickbait. They:
- Use voiceovers made by AI
- Put together real clips with fake context
- Often have attractive thumbnails or titles that aren’t true
- Sometimes have small disclaimers that say the information is presented for entertainment purpose.
This is part of an increasing trend of false material made by AI that is meant to get people angry about politics or get more likes and views.
Why did this rumor spread so fast?
1. Political Divisions
Leavitt is a controversial public figure, and all of her stories always trending quickly among politically sensitive groups.
2. Making things sound exciting
An $800 million lawsuit is sure to get people’s attention, even if it’s not true. Fake news often uses numbers that are too high to get people’s attention.
3. AI and Viral Propaganda
When shared without context, manipulated media information is becoming more advanced and difficult to tell apart from true news.
4. Not Knowing How to Use Media
People are habituated with posting and sharing news headlines without checking the authenticity of the story against reliable news sources, which lets fake stories spread rapidly before they are proven wrong story made viral.
The Real Case Against Leavitt:
Karoline Leavitt is actually in a genuine lawsuit, but she is the defendant, not the plaintiff.
The Associated Press (AP) sued Leavitt and other White House officials in early 2025. The AP says they weren’t allowed to go to media conferences because they wouldn’t use politically charged words to describe a place.
This is a real court case that has been reported on by reliable news sources, unlike the bogus ABC lawsuit.
How to Tell Fake Legal News:
Here are some ways to prevent falling for false information that spreads quickly:
- Before believing big legal allegations, look at a lot of different trustworthy sources.
- Be careful of content or media that says “for entertainment purposes only” or is clickbait.
- Find court records that can be verified, like judge names, case numbers, or filings.
- Know that fake news spreads quicker than actual news; always check before you share something on public platform.
Conclusion:
No, Karoline Leavitt has not sued ABC, and she did not get $800 million from them. The whole thing is a fake online hoax based on fake viral videos and fake information spread for political reasons.
But she is currently in a real legal dispute since the Associated Press is suing her. That problem has nothing to do with the ABC Network rumor.
As usual, check before you share, and be careful with headlines that appear too amazing or too crazy to be true. Fake Viral Videos always beneficial to YouTubers but very harmful for our society. So be careful about such humorous videos or news.