Is the video of Michelle Wu calling Donald Trump an "asshole" in a high pitched voice authentic? No, that's not true: The video is footage taken from Boston Mayor Wu's press conference where she spoke about federal immigration issues that was posted on C-SPAN and local news. In the original video Wu did not name-call the president or speak about…
Does this video clip show Jon Stewart making "a savage reply to Trump's India tariff?" No, that's not true: The video clip posted on social media is not real. The video about Trump's India tariff was posted during the time when Stewart's "The Daily Show" was on summer break. The 28-second video appeared in a post on X (archived here)…
Do 55 million foreigners with U.S. visas live in the United States, as of August 2025? No, that's not true: Fifty-five million is the number of people around the world who currently hold a visa to enter the U.S, according to a U.S. State Department announcement that it would review all outstanding visas. Some social media posters incorrectly interpreted headlines…
Did JD Vance make a post saying "It's pretty disgusting to equate 'American' with 'white'" about his biracial family and non-white son? Yes, the text is a screenshot of a real tweet JD Vance posted in 2019. The original tweet was only text and did not have a family photo included with it. It was eventually deleted and that account…
Was Destiny Marie Diciccio charged with "Disorderly Conduct - Uttering an Illegal Opinion" under Florida's new anti-antisemitism law and is she facing 30 days in jail for this? No, that's not true: Court records show she was charged for disorderly conduct involving the throwing of a slice of pizza. According to those records she pleaded "no contest" but there was…
Is a video of Italy's prime minister Giorgia Meloni describing President Trump being a "mix of sweat and flatulence" and "a giant moving biogas pit" authentic? No, that's not true: The video includes a disclaimer that reads "Creator labeled as AI-generated" on the TikTok channel where it originated. It has been widely shared on social media platforms by other accounts…
Is the video of Amy Klobuchar commenting on the Sydney Sweeney American Eagle jeans and where she mentions "perfect titties" authentic? No, that's not true: Klobuchar wrote an opinion piece in the New York Times calling the video "A.I. deepfake." The fake was built using a video posted by the Minnesota senator on her official YouTube account from a hearing…
Does a viral image authentically show soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo and his fiancee Georgina Rodriguez married and at their wedding? No, that's not true: The image contained glitches and discrepancies typical of AI generated images and at least one detection tool found evidence of deepfake content. The couple announced their engagement via social media on August 11, 2025 and have…
Did "The Daily Show" host Jon Stewart invite White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt as a guest and tell her that her "brain missed makeup" on TV? No, that's not true: Lead Stories found no evidence confirming such a comment. No news reports and no "Daily Show" episodes reviewed by Lead Stories contained the purported joke. The claim appeared in…
Did Peyton Manning see to it that Ray, who had been a stadium gatekeeper for 30 years, would get tickets to the game - and also honor him with a custom Colts Jersey and a standing ovation? No, that's not true: This is a fictional story paired with an AI image intended to gather engagement for social media posts and…
Does a photo show that Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez spoke at a microphone wearing a revealing transparent black dress? No, that's not true: The original press photo from a re-election kickoff event was published in the New York Post on Feb. 15, 2020. It shows Ocasio-Cortez wearing a black dress that is not transparent -- the photo in the social media…
Does an image show a real screenshot of the "Governor Newsom Press Office" X account posting "Fuck you. Bye." in response to a statement from Bed Bath & Beyond Executive Chairman Marcus Lemonis? No, that's not true: The screenshot is fake, no such post appeared on the account in question. The account did respond to the Bed Bath & Beyond…
Is George Strait suing television show "The View" and co-host Whoopi Goldberg for $50 million? No, that's not true: There is no evidence that the country music icon has filed a lawsuit against the daytime talk show. Strait has never been a guest on The View, according to the Internet Movie Database. The images used in the social media post…
Did Clark Hunt, the CEO of the Kansas City Chiefs, Ban LGBT Merchandise from Arrowhead Stadium? No, that's not true: There is no official announcement from the Chiefs on this question. The quote circulating on social media attributed to Hunt about "protecting the integrity of our fan experience," cannot be found in any public statements in writing or on camera.…
Does a viral screenshot show a real post by California Governor Gavin Newsom's Press Office asking Russia to release the Epstein files if they "are listening"? No, that's not true: The satirical post which also mentions "Big Balls" appears to be a Truth Social post and the account that supposedly published it does not exist there. The message also didn't…
Does a video show evidence that dog food is being made with ground up cardboard as a main ingredient? No, that's not true: The video on social media features clips showing real scenes from several sources including dog food manufacturing plants and trash recycling facilities. There is no evidence the ground cardboard pulp shown in one clip is going into…
Did U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi successfully sue American basketball player Brittney Griner, preventing the athlete from participating in the Olympic Games? No, none of that is true: No credible media organization ever reported that, as of August 19, 2025. When Lead Stories checked specialized legal resources, those searches showed no confirmation that such a lawsuit ever existed. The claim…
Did Sen. Bernie Sanders get a $44 million USAID grant after he dropped out of the 2016 presidential race? No, that's not true: That story originated on a satirical Facebook page. The owner of the page is known for tricking conservatives into liking and sharing made-up content. The claim appeared in an August 18, 2025 Facebook post (archived here) on…
Does a viral bodycam video authentically show a cop mistaking a Black lawyer for a defendant and ordering him to sit in the back of a courtroom? No, that's not true: The video originated from a channel that publishes re-enactments using the same actors repeatedly in supposedly unrelated roles and situations. The channel's homepage description acknowledges that it posts "fictional…
Does a viral image authentically show several European leaders like Emmanuel Macron and Ursula von der Leyen sitting on chairs in a White House corridor? No, that's not true: The image did not appear on any news sites. It contained glitches and discrepancies typical of AI generated images and at least one detection tool found signs of deepfake content. One…
