The Atlantic did not publish a headline praising migrants eating cats

Context

A screenshot claiming to show a headline from The Atlantic stating that migrants eating cats "might be a good thing" has been identified as fake. 

The undated screenshot displays The Atlantic's masthead along with a headline that closely resembles the publication's font that reads "Why migrants eating cats might be a good thing." 

It is followed by the sub-headline, "Conservatives don't understand the cultural importance of Haitian Cuisine." 

One user who shared the screenshot on X (formerly Twitter) said: "Check out the Atlantic right on cue. They want to normalize UNAMERICAN things. This is AMERICA AND WE DONT EAT CATS. Period."

Another added: "Did I not call it? Didn't I say a few days ago that they would normalize eating our pets in Springfield? The left went nuts on me." 

This fabricated screenshot surfaced in response to misinformation alleging that Haitian immigrants were eating stolen pets during the 2024 U.S. elections. The claim originated from a baseless rumor in Springfield, Ohio and has been debunked by multiple organizations, including Logically Facts.

In fact

A spokesperson for The Atlantic told Logically Facts that the screenshot is a fake. 

"This image is crudely fabricated; it is not a screenshot of an actual Atlantic article," they said, adding: "We have published no such thing. We have reported this as fake and as a trademark infringement." 

The headline is not on The Atlantic's website, nor did Logically Facts find any related posts published on the outlet's associated social media accounts, such as Facebook or Instagram.

Logically Facts could also not find such a headline while reviewing archived versions of The Atlantic's homepage from early September, preserved by the digital archive The Wayback Machine (examples here and here).

The earliest iteration Logically Facts found of the screenshot was published on X on September 15 by the U.S. Ministry Of Truth, an account known for posting satirical content and misinformation.

The verdict

A screenshot purporting to show a headline published by The Atlantic saying that migrants eating cats could be beneficial is fake. No such article exists on the publication's website or recent archives, and a spokesperson for The Atlantic confirmed the headline is fabricated.