FACT-CHECKED

Josh Hawley Caught Using Phony Quote to Push Religious Propaganda

The quote was not, in fact, from founding father Patrick Henry.

Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) was called out Tuesday night for using a fake quote from founding father Patrick Henry that said America was founded “on the gospel of Jesus Christ.” To celebrate the Fourth of July, Hawley tweeted a quote—which he claimed was from Henry—stating that “this great nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians.” Henry did famously say “give me liberty or give me death,” but he never said what Hawley suggested. The conservative senator was quickly fact-checked via a Twitter Note, which said the quote was actually from a 1956 story in The Virginian about Henry—not from Henry, himself.