Eric Spracklen, a pro-Trump “digital strategist” who once helped Project Veritas sting Twitter under the name “Eric Williams,” posted a picture of Justin Trudeau and his son Xavier in front of a Barbie poster at a movie theater on Sunday afternoon with a homophobic suggestion.
“This is Justin Trudeau literally days after his wife left him,” Spracklen wrote, referencing Trudeau’s public announcement on Wednesday that he and his wife Sophie had legally separated.
“I knew he was going to come out but I didn’t think it would be instantaneous” Spracklen commented snidely.
“this is his son,” wrote Twitter user @JUNlPER.
“Fellas, is it gay to have a son?” wrote user @Menez_18_.
“So here’s this jerk @EricSpracklen who doesn’t know the kid is Trudeau’s son, and assumes instead he’s gay,” wrote another Twitter user, @gracels. “I can’t even imagine being this stupid.”
Spracklen’s post was hit with a Community Note explaining to Spracklen and anybody else not in the loop who Trudeau was posing with.
“The boy in this picture is Xavier Trudeau, the oldest son Justin Trudeau’s son [sic] and not a partner or potential [sic] as suggested by the author.”
Eighteen minutes later Spracklen back-pedaled on the idea he was suggesting the boy in the picture was Trudeau’s partner.
“Lmao at everyone triggered and saying this is his son like I’m not aware…I’m literally saying how gay it is for him to wear pink and go watch Barbie 🤣”
Twitter user @yashar pointed out that Spracklen had previously and frequently tweeted his admiration for Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), and that Gaetz had also worn a pink suit to a Barbie premiere.
“You hear that @mattgaetz…,” he wrote. “One of your biggest fans @EricSpracklen thinks you’re gay for wearing pink and seeing Barbie.”
Spracklen didn’t respond to a request sent to his Facebook account about why he thought the photo of Trudeau and his son was proof that Trudeau was coming out.
On Aug. 2, Spracklen posted another photo of Trudeau sitting with his legs together.
“What are the chances Trudeau comes out as gay/trans in the next 6 months?” he asked.
Trudeau and his wife announced their split last week. In its aftermath, Twitter users pushed another homophobic meme, that Trudeau had an affair with French President Emmanuel Macron.
Spracklen was identified as Project Veritas’ chief of staff or spokesman in reports in right-wing media in early 2022, when Twitter suspended his account. Spracklen’s Twitter bio describes himself as a “Twitter Gulag Survivor,” and says he was “Freed by Elon in December 2022.”
A lawsuit filed against Project Veritas by an ex-employee accusing the organization of fostering a “sexually hostile work environment” last year identified Spracklen as the then “current Chief of Staff,” naming him as an eyewitness to an alleged near-fatal drug overdose at an apartment in Mamaroneck, New York, where the complaint alleges Project Veritas was renting an apartment to use as their headquarters.
Spracklen also got a shoutout from then-President Donald Trump’s Twitter account at the end of July, 2019, when Spracklen shared a video compilation of Trump moments.
“Thank you Eric!” the president tweeted.
Later in the week, Trudeau took his daughter to see Oppenheimer. It did not spark any similar backlash. Trudeau has not issued any update on his divorce.
