Does a viral clip show the real Erika Kirk dancing next to a highway sign renaming a road after her late husband, conservative activist Charlie Kirk? No, that's not true: The video is a product of generative AI. It featured shape-shifting hands, pants that blended in and separated from a boot within seconds and a fictitious name for the agency…
Does a video show Erika Kirk's entrance at the Turning Point USA halftime show, wearing a green robe, short shorts and a midriff-baring top? No, that's not true: Erika Kirk never took the stage during the "TPUSA All-American Halftime Show". This video does not show Erika Kirk or the Feb. 8, 2026 TPUSA program -- it shows pro wrestler Charlotte…
Does a viral video prove that Turning Point USA co-founder Charlie Kirk removed his wife from his will shortly before his murder? No, that's not true: The rumor originated from a self-described satire account. No professional media organization reported the purported change in the will. The claim initially appeared in a video (archived here) published on TikTok on January 30,…
Was Evan Kilgore the federal agent who shot and killed U.S. citizen and registered nurse Alex Pretti during an immigration enforcement raid in Minneapolis? No, that's not true: Kilgore denied he worked for immigration enforcement agencies and threatened to sue those who spread the claim on social media. Lead Stories found nothing suggesting that the conservative commentator had built a…
Is a video of Erika Kirk jumping on stage at the Rolling Loud Orlando 2026 event using a power boosted lift real? No, that's not true: The video is an AI-generated compilation using footage from South Korean rapper Psy's publicly available videos. The Rolling Loud Orlando hip-hop event is scheduled for May 2026 and had not taken place as of…
Did Erika Kirk lose custody of her children, as indicated by Rep. Anna Paulina Luna in an interview? No, that's not true: Rep. Luna said in a podcast interview that Kirk "lost her kids," but later said she "meant to say the kids lost their dad." There is no evidence to conclude that the widow of Charlie Kirk lost custody…
False claims about the Charlie Kirk assassination, the Jeffrey Epstein files, and purported verbal gaffes by President Trump topped the list of most-read Lead Stories fact checks in 2025. Here are our most read fact checks of the past year, reflecting our reader's interest in finding out the truth about various viral stories. If you see something suspicious in 2026,…
Is Kid Rock donating the proceeds of his next five shows to Turning Point USA in Charlie Kirk's honor? No, that's not true: The story originated on a satirical Facebook page that clearly labels its content as fake. The page's owner is known for tricking conservatives into liking and sharing fabricated posts. As of Dec. 18, 2025, Kid Rock has…
Did Rob Reiner say he wished the would-be Donald Trump assassin "hadn't missed"? No, that's not true: A source close to the family told Lead Stories the claim is "nonsense." Lead Stories found no evidence that Reiner ever said he wished the gunman had killed Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, in 2024. Social media posts claiming that "liberals are all butt…
Is a "shocking" video of Charlie Kirk murder defendant Tyler Robinson and his lawyer talking in court before a hearing in the case real? No, that's not true: The news media feed from the same moment and the same camera captured an inaudible whispered conversation. The video is a satirical attack on podcaster Candace Owens and the theories about the…
Lead Stories is a fact checking website that is always looking for the latest false, misleading, deceptive or inaccurate stories, videos or images going viral on the internet.
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