Fact Check Rumor Trump Said Child Support Recipients Cannot Claim

Bonisiwe Shabane

-Oct 21, 2025, 9:21 AM

fact check rumor trump said child support recipients cannot claim

We found no evidence of such a post on TruthSocial or X. Trump has said he would expand the child tax credit during his second term in office. As U.S. President Donald Trump took office in January 2025, a pervasive rumor on Instagram and YouTube claimed he posted about child tax credits on social media. One alleged post, purportedly from Jan. 17, 2025, claimed that women who receive money in child support from men would no longer be able to claim the child as a dependent on their taxes, and thus would not receive a...

Snopes received numerous questions from readers, asking us about a purported new "Trump child support law." A video claimed the following: Trump just tweeted if you put your baby father on child support, you can't claim income taxes — only he can. [...] When you put your baby father on child support, you no longer can claim your child — only the father can [...] only one of y'all can claim your child. If he's paying child support, you can't claim the kids — only he can. Another video from Jan. 17, 2025, claimed Trump had tweeted that morning that any woman who put her "baby daddy" or "ex-husband" on child support had automatically lost rights to tax-return funds and child tax credits.

A Jan. 20 Instagram post (direct link, archive link) warns of a major change to tax law for people with children. "Donald Trump says that a woman who receives child support from a man can no longer claim the child on her taxes," reads part of the post's caption. The post was liked more than 10,000 times in a week. More from the Fact-Check Team: How we pick and research claims | Email newsletter | Facebook page President Donald Trump never made such a statement, and there is no evidence of any such change to the tax code.

The originator of the claim later admitted to fabricating it. U.S. President Donald Trump posted on TruthSocial that a parent who receives child support can no longer claim the child on their taxes. We found no evidence of such a post on TruthSocial or X. Trump has said he would expand the child tax credit during his second term in office. In January 2025, a rumor on X, Instagram and YouTube claimed that U.S.

President Donald Trump posted on social media that parents who receive money in child support are no longer able to claim the children as dependents on their taxes. Numerous Snopes readers asked us about the purported new "Trump child support law." Some versions of the rumor said the alleged rule was specific to women who receive child support, while others stated it... Trump just tweeted if you put your baby father on child support, you can't claim income taxes — only he can. [...] When you put your baby father on child support, you no longer can claim your child — only the father can [...] only one of y'all can claim your child. If he's paying child support, you can't claim the kids — only he can. Even before President Donald Trump took office again Jan.

20, some social media users blamed him for a new law that would affect some families. "Trump passed a new law that whoever is paying the child support will get to declare those children on their taxes," a TikTok user said in a Jan. 18 video. "Say you’re a single father, single mother, and you are not the one paying the child support, you will not get the tax return for the child." Social media users also shared the post on Instagram and Facebook, and said Trump tweeted about the new policy. The Instagram post was flagged as part of Meta’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed.

(Read more about our partnership with Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram and Threads.) Despite the rumors, Trump did not enact a new law about child support and taxes. Copyright © AFP 2017-2025. Any commercial use of this content requires a subscription. Click here to find out more. "Donald Trump’s NEW CHILD SUPPORT LAW will be crazy.

If you receive child support you will no longer be able to claim the child on your taxes, only the person who is PAYING the child support can," says a January 19, 2025 Facebook... The claims circulated on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and X, including posts in Spanish. The online rumor of a new "Trump child support law," follows the president signing a series of executive orders in his first week back in the White House -- ranging from dismantling the federal... However, no such law regarding child support was among the flurry of actions taken by Trump since his return to office. Posts suggest that recipients of child support will no longer be able to claim the child on income tax returns. But a review of Trump’s stated policies, recent announcements and social media accounts reveal no such proposal as of January 27, 2025 (archived here, here and here).

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab A viral rumor that began circulating on social media a few weeks before Donald Trump took office in 2025 claimed that he had signed a law preventing parents who receive child support from claiming... The misinformation gained momentum during the week of his inauguration, with many parents worried about how this supposed change would affect their tax filings. The truth? No such law was ever signed. Despite the widespread posts, there has never been a law—under Trump or any other president—banning child support recipients from claiming their children as dependents.

At Garcia-Windsor, P.C., we understand how misinformation can create unnecessary stress for parents. That’s why we’re breaking down the facts about tax claims, child support, and what the law actually says. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) determines who can claim a child as a dependent, and the general rule is: The parent with primary custody has the right to claim the child, unless a court order states otherwise. Social media has been abuzz with claims from influencers that Donald Trump has changed the tax code, preventing child support recipients from claiming dependents and the benefits that accompany them. A TikToker attracted 16 million views with his video asserting, “Trump passed a new law that whoever is paying the child support would get to declare those children on their taxes.

So, say you’re a single father, single mother, and you are not the o… A rumor on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok claimed a new tax law was being put in place under the Trump administration. Social media has been abuzz with claims from influencers that Donald Trump has changed the tax code, preventing child support recipients from claiming dependents and the benefits that accompany them. A TikToker attracted 16 million views with his video asserting, “Trump passed a new law that whoever is paying the child support would get to declare those children on their taxes. So, say you’re a single father, single mother, and you are not the o… To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium

Fact Check Rumor Trump Said Child Support Recipients Cannot Claim

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We Found No Evidence Of Such A Post On TruthSocial

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The Originator Of The Claim Later Admitted To Fabricating It.

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