Washington County voters received a startling falsehood on Thursday when a 26‑second deepfake video of county commissioner chair candidate Nafisa Fai appeared on X, depicting her speaking in front of an upside‑down American flag. The clip, posted by the X account “End Wokeness,” which boasts 3.9 million followers, claimed the candidate held a rally in Minnesota, spoke Somali, and displayed the flag incorrectly.
False claims and online backlash
The post’s caption read, “Oregon politician Nafisa Fai just held a rally in MN, speaking Somali, with an American flag UPSIDE DOWN. Enough with the pretending already. These are not Americans.” Comments quickly called for Fai’s deportation, echoing a pattern of xenophobic attacks that have targeted Somali‑American public figures.
The account has been identified by The Washington Post and other outlets as a source of false rumors, including the bizarre claim that Haitian refugees in Springfield, Ohio, eat cats and dogs.
What actually happened
Fai, a 49‑year‑old Somali immigrant who lives in Aloha, did travel to Minnesota last weekend to address a community event aimed at encouraging young people to pursue hard work and career ambition. She said she does not recall checking the flag’s orientation before speaking, but she affirmed she would never intentionally display the American flag upside down.
According to Hoodo Mohamed, an attendee who spoke with the Oregon Journalism Project, the event featured more than 100 flags, all displayed correctly. “We had a ton of flags. We had flags on all the tables. I still have two flags from the event,” Mohamed said, describing the gathering as a very pro‑America occasion. A video clip provided to the Oregon Journalism Project confirms the flag was right side up.
Deepfake editing details
The X video appears to have been selectively edited to highlight English phrases Fai used, such as “people of color,” “lawyer,” “CEO,” and “lawn mowing.” In context, her message was that in America, “you can make your dream come true, if you do the work.” She emphasized that a Somali immigrant can go from cutting grass to becoming a corporate executive.
Fai also expressed her personal commitment to the United States, stating, “If I could, I would fight for this country, you know, go to war for this country.” She noted that questioning her patriotism was the hardest part of her experience.
Local reaction
Jacob Roloff, a Hillsboro resident who attended the candidates forum that evening, witnessed an older woman confront Fai, convinced the video was genuine. “The woman was definitely upset about the fake video of the flag,” Roloff said. “It just speaks to how messed up our media sphere is.”
The incident comes amid a broader national conversation about misinformation and the targeting of Somali‑American public officials, highlighted by recent Department of Justice actions against Rep. Ilhan Omar, D‑MN.
Election context
Fai is running against incumbent Commissioner Pam Treece in the November 3 election for chair of the Washington County Board of Commissioners, which oversees a $2 billion annual budget. Her campaign has already faced turbulence; last month former Chair Kathryn Harrington resigned six days after flipping her middle finger at Fai during a board meeting.
The deepfake episode underscores the challenges candidates face in a hyper‑connected media environment, where false narratives can spread rapidly and threaten the reputations of public servants dedicated to serving their communities.
Original reporting: Homepage – Lookout Eugene-Springfield — read the source article.
