By Illinois Review
Illinois Republican congressional candidate Charlie Kim is facing scrutiny after his campaign posted a video that appeared to show President Donald Trump endorsing him – a video the White House has confirmed was not authentic.
The nearly 30-second clip was posted February 9 on Kim’s campaign Facebook page. It featured a figure that looked and sounded like President Trump standing in a setting resembling the Oval Office. In the video, the figure praised Kim, saying, “this guy right here – he’s incredible… He’s what America is all about.”
The figure also gestured toward a framed photo on the wall. On-screen text urged viewers to “Vote Charlie Kim U.S. Congress IL candidate” and reminded voters to cast their ballots by March 17.
The video was first reported in a breaking news story published February 26 by the Northwest Herald – Shaw Local.
After the Daily Herald contacted the campaign to ask whether the endorsement was real, the video was taken down.
A White House official confirmed to the Herald that the clip was not genuine. According to the official, President Trump’s endorsements are only considered authentic if they come directly from him or from his official Truth Social account.
Kim, who is running as a Republican in Illinois’ 11th Congressional District, claims he did not know the video had been posted until reporters inquired about it. He told the Daily Herald that five people manage his social media accounts and that he rarely posts content himself.
Kim’s campaign manager, Karolyn Radulovich, said the candidate ordered the video removed immediately after learning about it. She described the clip as a stock-video template edited through an online service.
Radulovich said the intent was “to promote Kim’s campaign and make people smile,” not to mislead voters into believing that President Trump had formally endorsed him.
Kim previously ran unsuccessfully in Illinois’ 14th Congressional District primary election in 2024, earning just 6,571 votes.
Federal Election Commission records show that his current campaign has raised limited funds. According to FEC filings, Kim has raised just $2,435 in individual contributions. He has contributed $12,533.09 to his own campaign and has also loaned the campaign $25,776.27.
The use of a video that closely resembled an official presidential endorsement could carry political consequences, particularly in a competitive Republican primary.
As of Wednesday, the video was no longer visible on Kim’s Facebook page.
