When it comes to fact checks from outlets like The Associated Press, Byron York has pointed out that whenever you see the word "nuanced" used in a story about something the Trump administration is doing, that is very telling.
In this case the AP fact check is about who and what is on the boats that have been destroyed:
When you see a headline saying the story is more 'nuanced' than Trump claims -- you know Trump is basically right. And indeed, this AP story says this: 'In dozens of interviews in villages...from which some of the boats departed, residents and relatives said the dead men had… pic.twitter.com/j73MjYoiXB
— Byron York (@ByronYork) November 8, 2025
"Trump has accused boat crews of being narco-terrorists. The truth, AP found, is more nuanced."
The AP story basically portrays the drug runners as a few down on their luck guys trying to make ends meet. That's the "nuance" being served up.
However, were they running drugs by boat? Apparently, yes:
Headline: “Trump has accused boat crews of being narco-terrorists. The truth is more nuanced.”
— Jerry Dunleavy IV 🇺🇸 (@JerryDunleavy) November 8, 2025
Story: “In dozens of interviews…residents & relatives said the dead men had indeed been running drugs but were not narco-terrorists or cartel or gang leaders.”https://t.co/jZcvKNrzGv
Oh look, Trump was right.https://t.co/ote6rnu9uR
— Watch Dog WA (@WatchDogWa) November 7, 2025
You don't hate the media enough.
Remember, Democrats tried to claim these weren't drug running boats, but fishing boats. pic.twitter.com/6vFMGOh9rY
Yet again there's another issue that's gone from "Trump's lying and is blowing up fishing boats" to "OK they're running drugs but aren't cartel members" and before too long we won't be surprised if there's an "alright they were cartel members but here's why the DoD shouldn't have been blowing them up."
"He was not a narco terrorist. He was merely narco terrorist-adjacent."
— Dan McGurn (@UncleNoFo) November 8, 2025
Nobody said they were ‘leaders’ of a cartel.
— Jon Terry (@leankitjon) November 8, 2025
What a nonsense red herring
"Nonsense red herring" is the AP's middle name!
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