Apparent source of claim that Trump paid off slain officer's mortgage walks back statement

Right-wing news outlets and MAGA influencers were quick to jump on rumors that Donald Trump had paid off the mortgage of fallen New York police officer Jonathan Diller, but it appears that's simply not true.

While the ex-president has yet to comment on or debunk the claim that he paid off the home of the man whose wake he recently attended, the apparent source of the information has walked it back.

According to publicly available information, Diller's mortgage was paid off, but it was by an organization called Tunnel to Towers Foundation.

ALSO READ: 11 ways Trump doesn’t become president

"Tunnel to Towers is honored to announce a mortgage payoff for the family of NYPD officer Jonathan Diller, who was fatally shot and killed during a routine traffic stop on March 25th," the group said. "Officer Diller is survived by his loving wife, Stephanie, and their one-year-old son."

This detail was also reported by CBS News.

This may have been the source of the Trump rumor, as David Zere, host of Breaking Point on Real America's Voice News, has implied.

"I may have been mistaken about Trump donating the money to Tunnel and Towers for the Diller family," he said. "I had several people approach me this was the case. I apologize if I reported misinformation. But it was a special day with Trump meeting with the Diller family! #Backtheblue"

In a separate post, Zere said, "I just feel awful."

This didn't go unnoticed by The Spectator's Jacqueline Sweet.

"Looks like the rumor, then reported as fact by Bannon’s War Room and other MAGA influencers, that Trump donated to pay off Officer Diller’s mortgage, started with David Zere, of Real America’s Voice, who has since walked it back," she wrote.

Recommended Links: