Donald Trump attended daughter Ivanka's graduation, contrary to viral claims | Fact check
The claim: Trump didn't attend daughter Ivanka's graduation
An April 18 Facebook post (direct link, archive link) shows Ivanka Trump wearing a graduation cap and gown beside her mother, grandmother and two of her brothers.
"Ivanka's graduation," reads the text above the picture.
The post's caption says, "'Devoted' father, nowhere to be seen."
The post garnered more than 50 shares in four days. Similar versions of the claim were shared on Facebook, Threads and X, formerly Twitter.
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Our rating: False
Pictures and news articles from the time show that former President Donald Trump attended his daughter Ivanka Trump's college graduation.
Trump attended daughter's graduation
The claim popped up on social media after Donald Trump's lawyers requested a day off from his hush money trial so he could attend his son Barron's high school graduation. Judge Juan Merchan said he was not prepared to rule on the request at the time but would be willing to adjourn for the day if the trial proceeded as planned, according to The Associated Press.
But contrary to the Facebook post's assertion, the former president did attend his daughter's college graduation.
Ivanka Trump graduated from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania in 2004, and she shared two photos from the day "in honor of graduation season" on Facebook in 2011. One of the pictures shows her standing with her grandmother and two brothers, while the other shows her standing beside her father.
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The former president's presence was also reported by the Philadelphia Daily News at the time, as PolitiFact noted.
"The Donald and ex-wife Ivana attended a Wharton ceremony Sunday at which their daughter got her degree," the article says.
The newspaper also states that Donald Trump, who's a 1968 Wharton graduate himself, attended the University of Pennsylvania's commencement ceremony the following day with his ex-wife.
USA TODAY reached out to the user who shared the post for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
AFP also debunked the claim, and Snopes debunked a similar claim.
Our fact-check sources:
Ivanka Trump, May 20, 2011, Facebook post
Philadelphia Daily News, May 19, 2004, Ivanka Headin' Back To New York
PolitiFact, April 19, Former President Donald Trump didn’t attend daughter Ivanka Trump’s graduation.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Donald Trump attended daughter's college graduation | Fact check