The Poynter Institute Menu Donate State Editions * California * Florida * Iowa * Michigan * New Hampshire * New York * North Carolina * Pennsylvania * Texas * West Virginia * Wisconsin Issues * All Issues * Online hoaxes * Coronavirus * Health Care * Immigration * Extremism * Taxes * Marijuana * Environment * Crime * Guns * Foreign Policy * LGBTQ+ People * Joe Biden * Kamala Harris * Donald Trump * Mitch McConnell * Hakeem Jeffries * Ron DeSantis Media * PunditFact * Tucker Carlson * Sean Hannity * Rachel Maddow * Bloggers * PolitiFact Videos Campaigns * 2024 Elections Truth-o-Meter * True * Mostly True * Half True * Mostly False * False * Pants on Fire Promises * Biden Promise Tracker * Trump-O-Meter * Obameter * Latest Promises About Us * Our Process * Our Staff * En Español * Who pays for PolitiFact? * Advertise with Us * Suggest a Fact-check * Corrections and Updates * Newsletters Donate #### Follow us The Facts Newsletter Sign up English Español ### Get PolitiFact in your inbox. * Weekly Email Newsletter * Daily Email Newsletter Your Email Address Sign Up ![](\\" ![](\\" Bloggers stated on January 4, 2019 in a tweet: New U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib tweeted \"Americans have spent decades raping and pillaging my people. What goes around comes around.\" ![\\"true\\"](\\" ![\\"pants- fire\\"](\\" * Fake news * Facebook Fact-checks * Bloggers ![\\"Rashida](\\" Rashida Tlaib, Democratic candidate for Michigan\'s 13th Congressional District, speaks at a rally in Dearborn, Mich., Friday, Oct. 26, 2018. (AP) ![\\"Samantha](\\" By Samantha Putterman January 9, 2019 # No, Rashida Tlaib did not tweet about \'raping and pillaging\' America Newly minted Democratic U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib has made headlines during her first week in office, from being the first Palestinian woman elected to the U.S. House to using profanity as part of a vow to impeach President Donald Trump. Now, an offensive tweet supposedly made by Tlaib is going around social media. The tweet reads: \"Americans have spent decades raping and pillaging my people. What goes around comes around. #FridayFeeling\" The post was flagged as part of Facebook’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Facebook.) #### Featured Fact-check ![](\\" ![](\\" Facebook posts stated on August 22, 2024 in Facebook posts Jason Aldean rejected a $500 million music collaboration with Taylor Swift. ![\\"true\\"](\\" false/33efdb6633e5e2fdc2d4e2f63383a1e0.jpg.\\") ![\\"false\\"](\\" false.jpg\\") By Sofia Ahmed • August 26, 2024 The tweet, made shortly after 10 a.m. on Jan. 4, is not from Tlaib’s account and no longer exists on Twitter. It’s a hoax. ![](\\" screenshot.png\\"/) Tlaib’s real account is verified and has the blue checkmark badge by her name. The tweet referenced in the Facebook post came from an account that is not – and one that has since been deleted or removed from the social media platform. The fake account also tried to make it appear as if Tlaib’s name was spelled correctly, but it wasn’t. It used an uppercase \"i\" in place of the lowercase \"L\" in her last name. When her name is spelled accurately on Twitter, the result is that the lowercase \"L\" reaches higher than the \"T\" in her last name. When misspelled with an uppercase \"i\", that faux-\"L\" only comes in at about the same height as the T. Moreover, Tlaib’s Twitter following is around 277,000, a number more on par for a member of the U.S. House than the 30 followers the hoax account had amassed before it was removed. We rate this claim Pants on Fire! Share the Facts 2019-01-09 18:55:18 UTC PolitiFact ![\\"PolitiFact\\"](\\" 1 1 7 ![\\"PolitiFact](\\" pof.png\\"/) PolitiFact Rating: Pants on Fire New U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib tweeted \"Americans have spent decades raping and pillaging my people. What goes around comes around.\" Bloggers Bloggers ![](\\" In a tweet Friday, January 4, 2019 2019-01-04 Read More info #### Read About Our Process The Principles of the Truth-O-Meter ### Our Sources Tweet screenshot NBC, Tlaib apologizes — for \'distraction,\' not for cursing Trump or impeachment charge, Rashida Tlaib twitter account, Accessed Jan. 9, 2019 Press&Guide, Fake Tlaib account tweets about ‘raping and pillaging’ America, Jan. 8, 2019 ## Browse the Truth-O-Meter ### More by Samantha Putterman ![](\\" ![](\\" Yes on 4 stated on September 10, 2024 in a TV ad: Florida’s six-week abortion law has “no real exceptions. Not for her health. 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New US Rep Rashida Tlaib tweeted Americans have spent decades raping and pillaging my people What goes around comes around