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Does a real photo show Hakeem Jeffries eating with Jeffrey Epstein? No, that's not true: There is no evidence that the House Democratic leader ever ate with or met Epstein. The image is AI-generated, according to two online detection tools, with one saying, "Most or all of this image was edited or generated with Google AI," and the other saying…

Is a meme that shows a mugshot of a woman accused of herding goats through a Walmart while drinking margaritas from a jug a real news story? No, that's not true: The original meme appears to have originated on a satire account. The mugshots used in various posts are either of real women who were arrested for unrelated charges or…

Recognizing false claims and fake videos shared on social media is a challenge for U.S. voters as the 2026 midterm elections approach. That is why Lead Stories and several other fact-checking organizations active in North America are joining forces in a first-of-its-kind collaboration: a joint newsletter sharing their best election-related work. It features an overview of fact check articles that…

Did MS NOW host Rachel Maddow broadcast a transcript of a call between former Attorney General Pam Bondi and President Donald Trump? No, that's not true: There is no evidence that Bondi and Trump were ever recorded having such a call, nor is there any evidence that Maddow broadcast a transcript of one. In addition, an AI detection tool concluded…

Does a viral clip document a recent real-life scene of U.S. President Donald Trump falling while trying to get into a limo? No, that's not true: The video showed signs of AI generation, and no credible media outlet reported the alleged incident. Among the most viral versions of the claim were posts from self-described humor accounts. The claim appeared in…

Did Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu endorse Rep. Haley Stevens, a Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate from Michigan, and call her "a true friend of Israel"? No, that's not true: There is no evidence that Netanyahu made such an endorsement or statement, and Stevens' campaign called the claim "false." No credible news outlets have reported that Netanyahu endorsed her…

Was an art exhibition featuring an elderly woman's dead body created after the death of former Conservative Member of Parliament Ann Widdecombe? No, that's not true: The exhibit predates Widdecombe's death by more than two months. The artist who created the exhibition uploaded a video of it to TikTok in April 2026. Widdecombe died on July 8, 2026. The claim…

Does a video show an ambush or IED attack on a convoy of M1A Abrams tanks crossing a bridge? No, that's not true: This video is fake. It circulated on social media in early April 2026 with captions claiming it showed Israeli tanks attacked by Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. The Hive Moderation AI-generated content detection tool rated one early copy…

Did Congressman Jack Kimble actually speak with his friend, Senator Mitch McConnell on July 7, 2026? No, that's not true: Congressman Jack Kimble does not exist. The rumor about the supposed conversation came from a page that has been known as a satire account for years. The claim appeared in a post (archived here) published on X by @RepJackKimble on…

Did President Donald Trump post a message saying, "Belgium is 2 weeks away from developing a nuclear bomb"? No, that's not true: The message, which appears to mimic a Truth Social post, is fake. A review of his account history found no record of the supposed post. There are no credible reports that he ever shared such a message. The…