FACT CHECK: Did Chelsea Clinton Criticize Bill Gates In A Tweet For Pursuing A ‘Physical Relationship With An Underling’?

An image shared on Facebook allegedly shows a tweet from Chelsea Clinton, the daughter of former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, in which she criticizes Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates for pursuing a “physical relationship with an underling.”

Facebook/Screenshot

Verdict: False

There is no record of her sending the tweet. A spokesperson for Chelsea Clinton confirmed it is fake.

Fact Check:

Chelsea Clinton has become a popular target of fake tweets in recent weeks. This month, Check Your Fact debunked one claiming she tweeted that “if Jesus were alive today he’d be working at Planned Parenthood” and another alleging she sent a tweet saying having white skin “doesn’t mean you have to BE white.”

An image being shared online now claims she tweeted May 17: “The more I hear about Bill Gates behavior the more I ashamed for him I feel. What kind of man pursues a physical relationship with an underling and has relations with her in their office??? Time to close the window on him. I always liked Mac better anyway.”

The purported tweet has circulated after the Wall Street Journal reported Gates allegedly had an extramarital affair with a Microsoft employee starting in 2000. A spokesperson for Gates told the Wall Street Journal that “there was an affair almost 20 years ago which ended amicably.”

In some instances, the seeming irony of the supposed Chelsea Clinton tweet was noted by social media users, who appeared to reference Bill Clinton having an affair with a White House intern while he was president. But the supposed May 17 tweet from the younger Clinton seems to have been fabricated.

Check Your Fact searched Chelsea Clinton’s verified Twitter account and found nothing resembling the message. The image being shared online also shows the tweet was allegedly sent via Twitter for Android, but her recent tweets all appear to have been posted using Twitter for iPhone or the Twitter Web App.

Additionally, there is no credible news reporting to corroborate its authenticity, further indicating the tweet is fabricated. (RELATED: Did Chelsea Clinton Tweet, ‘If Jesus Were Alive Today He’d Be Working At Planned Parenthood’?)

“I can confirm this is fake,” said Sara Horowitz, a spokesperson for Chelsea Clinton, in an email to Check Your Fact.

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