&Quot;White House&Quot;

Does a viral social media post show a real passport for someone from India named 'Priyanka Rao' who is supposedly the wife of Cole Tomas Allen? No, that's not true: There have been no news reports mentioning that name in connection with the man who was accused of being the shooter at the 2026 White House Correspondents Dinner. The passport…

Did journalist Taylor Lorenz, who was at the White House Correspondents Dinner, say somebody should "do it" while referring to "killing Trump"? No, that's not true: Lorenz reported on people using that phrase with that meaning in May of 2025. But she was not herself calling for somebody to "do it", she was only reporting on the meme. The claim…

Does a real MSNBC report identify the suspect in the White House Correspondents' Dinner shooting as "Kohl Jackson" with a picture? No, that's not true: The post is not authentic. MSNBC no longer exists; it was officially rebranded as MS NOW on Nov. 15, 2025, as part of a spin-off from NBCUniversal. Multiple news outlets identified the suspect as Cole…

Is a photo of President Donald Trump with one eye closed and the other half open with the U.S. Marine Corps flag behind him new as of April 24, 2026? No, that's not true: The image appeared in social media posts in as early as November 2020, although Lead Stories has been unable to pinpoint the exact date it was…

Is a viral video showing President Donald Trump falling asleep during a press event at the White House real and did he actually hit his head on his desk? No, that's not true: The video and screenshots of it shared by social media users originated from a self-described meme account. The clip was digitally altered, likely using AI. The claim…

Did Pope Leo XIV blast White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt or her resume during a television interview? No, that's not true: Social media posts making the claim were created and distributed by a spam operation managed from Vietnam that uses AI tools to create click bait content targeted at American and European audiences. There is no evidence that the…

Does a verified report say President Donald Trump tried to "access the nuclear codes" but was blocked by Gen. Dan Caine, as claimed by retired CIA analyst Larry Johnson? No, that's not true: There are no credible or verified reports indicating that such an incident ever occurred. While Johnson said on a podcast that there was a report of this…

Is a photo that shows Donald Trump with no damage to his ear immediately after the Butler assassination attempt authentic? No, that's not true: An online AI detection tool rated the image as 100% likely AI-generated. The account that originally posted the photo posts multiple AI images. Published images from the day of the assassination attempt show Trump with blood…

Did Pope Leo XIV say, "Iran can have a nuclear weapon," as President Donald Trump suggested on the White House lawn in April 2026? No, that's not true: The pope has repeatedly argued against war and denounced nuclear weapons. In March 2026, he posted on X, "Let us #PrayTogether that nations move toward effective disarmament, particularly nuclear disarmament, and that…

Does a viral post prove that Sharon Simmons, who made a DoorDash delivery to the White House, is a "paid actor"? No, that's not true: The post offered no evidence to support the claim. DoorDash, its spokesperson, and Simmons' own congressional testimony all confirm she is a real "dasher" -- the company's term for delivery drivers. The claim appeared in…