Pro-Trump Twitter troll allegedly made thousands from fake ‘Gay Voices for Trump’ fundraiser
Josh Hall, a 21-year-old food-delivery driver, admitted he was behind the fake accounts and fundraiser (Instagram/RealJoshHall/Getty)
A pro-Trump Twitter troll impersonated members of the president’s family and raked in thousands of dollars for a fictitious ‘Gay Voices for Trump’ group, it has been alleged.
Josh Hall, a 21-year-old food-delivery driver, admitted to the New York Times that he was behind a number of accounts impersonating members of the Trump family which posted content in support of the president.
One of his accounts impersonating the president’s sister Elizabeth Trump Grau even duped the leader himself, with eyebrows raised when Trump shared an article from a conservative website detailing a fake message of support from Elizabeth in the wake of the November election result.
In addition to Trump’s sister, Hall made accounts impersonating the president’s brother Robert Trump, son Barron Trump, and White House coronavirus chief Dr Deborah Birx, with his accounts amassing more than 160,000 followers between them.
Pro-Trump troll boasted about being Trump family ‘partner in crime’ in fake messages
According to the newspaper, Hall used the accounts to promote a fictitious group, Gay Voices for Trump, raking in more than $7,300 via crowdfunding website GoFundMe.
Hall, who is bisexual, was identified as he also used the fake accounts to promote his genuine and since-suspended Twitter account @TheBiTrumpGuy.
Tweeting as Robert Trump, he wrote: “Everyone be sure to follow my good friend and ‘partner in crime’ @TheBiTrumpGuy. Josh is doing amazing things with Gay Voices for Trump and has Uncle Rob’s COMPLETE AND TOTAL ENDORSEMENT. Thank you!”
In another message, he wrote: “Uncle Rob runs Gay Voices For Trump with @TheBiTrumpGuy, although I am very much a heterosexual male. It’s the Trump genes – we love women.”
Josh Hall, a 21-year-old food-delivery driver, admitted to the New York Times that he was behind the fundraiser (Instagram/RealJoshHall)
Gay Voices for Trump group that raised thousands ‘doesn’t exist’
On GoFundMe, Hall claimed: “Gay Voices For Trump is a grassroots coalition of LGBT Americans who support the re-election of our 45th President.
“Too often, the voices of LGBT conservatives are not heard and we are not given a seat at the table… that is what we’re going to change with this organisation. I will be using my platform to amplify and elevate the voices and stories of LGBT conservatives.
“All donations will go toward field organising, events and merchandise. The goal is to make Gay Voices For Trump a nationwide movement. Any and all donations we receive are greatly appreciated and will go a long way to help our organisation as well as the re-election of president Trump. Have a great day.”
However, the New York Times reports that Hall has since admitted the group does not actually exist. He told the newspaper: “I didn’t end up ever really doing anything with the Gay Voices for Trump.”
While he claimed to have “never got the funds from it,” a spokesperson for GoFundMe told the newspaper the money had been withdrawn by the organiser from an account listed Josh H.
GoFundMe is investigating the fundraiser and will offer refunds to any donors, the spokesperson added.
