Did actor Matthew McConaughey say or write that "if Kamala Harris had become president of the U.S., Trump would be in prison"? No, that's not true: The actor's representatives told Lead Stories that it was a fake quote. Such words did not appear on McConaughey's social media accounts or in credible media reports. The claim appeared in a post (archived…
Did the United States have an election with 133 million registered voters in which 159 million votes were cast? No, that's not true: Official government figures for national elections do not support that claim. More than 158 million Americans cast ballots in the 2020 presidential election, but more than 168 million were registered to vote. The claim appeared in a…
Was Cole Tomas Allen, the man accused of shooting at attendees at the 2026 White House Correspondents' Dinner, on the payroll of the Democratic National Committee and several California Democratic politicians, including Nancy Pelosi, Gavin Newsom, Kamala Harris and Adam Schiff? No, that's not true: A DNC spokesperson, a Newsom spokesperson, and a Pelosi spokesperson all told Lead Stories the…
Does a video from the Epstein Files show Kamala Harris' husband, Doug Emhoff, in a private helicopter at an airport? No, that's not true: There is no evidence this video came from the Department of Justice (DOJ) public release of "Epstein Files". None of the social media posts with the video contained a file number from the release. Additionally, Doug…
Did a federal Judge say the Treasury Department can take back $15 million of USAID money granted to companies owned by Sen. Adam Schiff? No, that's not true: This post originated from a website that produces satire content designed to fool conservatives. The post originally had a visible satire disclaimer but it has been reposted elsewhere with the disclaimer blurred…
Is the Securities and Exchange Commission investigating 10 Democrats, including former President Joe Biden, for fraud and insider trading? No, that's not true: There is no evidence the SEC is investigating any of the 10 people whose images are included in the post. The claim originated from a satirical Facebook page that carried a satire disclaimer. The owner of the…
Does Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani have a plan to require all New York students to learn Arabic numerals? No, that's not true: Viral posts making that claim are satirical in nature because Arabic numerals are already widely used everywhere in New York and the rest of the United States. The joke plays on the ignorance of certain audiences not knowing "Arabic…
Did Donald Trump make an all-caps post on Truth Social which said, "I'M NOT INCOMPITENT!!!!"? No, that's not true: A fake screenshot resurfaced on social media in Oct. 2025. The satirical screenshot had already circulated as early as June 2025. There is no record of this post originating from the verified account of Donald Trump. An early example of the…
Is Lindsey Halligan, the lawyer chosen by President Trump to be the U.S. attorney for the eastern district of Virginia, the same woman made infamous by a viral video of her answer to a question in a 2007 beauty pageant? No, that's not true: Lauren Caitlin Upton is the woman who, as Miss South Carolina Teen USA, gave a rambling…
Did President Donald Trump post a 435-word tirade about the public's interest in the canceled investigation into the clients of the dead child sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein? No, that's not true: There have been no genuine Trump posts about Epstein on Truth Social since January 2024. The mock-up using Trump's Truth Social profile image was posted by a self-described humor…
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