Ron Desantis

Does this viral video clip show Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis saying Renee Good had the right to drive away from ICE officers just before one of them shot and killed her on a Minneapolis street? No, that's not true: The clip is real, but was lifted from a June, 2025 appearance on "The Rubin Report" podcast, six months before Good…

Does a trending video authentically capture U.S. President Donald Trump missing the ball on a golf course in 2025, then grabbing it off the ground before anyone notices? No, that's not true: The footage was digitally altered and had the watermark of an Instagtram account with a bio that read "graphic satirist". The original, of Trump striking the ball at…

Did a Florida school encourage January Littlejohn's child to secretly socially transition and use they/them pronouns without telling her? No, that's not true: January Littlejohn approached her child's school first about the decision by her child to use they/them pronouns, according to emails obtained by news outlets. Details of the emails that Littlejohn sent telling the school her child wanted…

Does a photo on social media show a man flipping off President Donald Trump during the 2025 Super Bowl game? No, that's not true: Lead Stories found evidence of the photo being posted online since 2023. Social media posts of the photo indicated it was taken at a college football game in Iowa on September 9, 2023. Media outlets widely…

Did Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis lift a ban on illegal immigrants in the state because he needs them to clean up after hurricanes Milton and Helene? No, that's not true: There are no official statements or press releases from DeSantis indicating any changes to SB-1718, which is known as Florida's anti-illegal immigration law. No actual news reports say that DeSantis…

Did Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis say Dominion Voting Systems will not operate in the state? No, that's not true: Dominion is one of two certified election systems in the state, with 18 of Florida's 67 counties using it in 2024, according to the Florida Division of Elections website. There has been no verified statement or policy announcement from the governor…

Is Donald Trump banned from voting in Florida because of his felony conviction? No, that's not true: Florida allows felons to vote if their conviction took place in another state that has no such ban. Trump was convicted in New York state, where felons are allowed to cast their ballots if they are not in prison. Trump has yet to…

Did Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis refuse to turn over alleged Trump gunman Ryan Wesley Routh to the FBI? No, that's not true: Jail records on September 17, 2024, showed that a Ryan Wesley Routh of the same age as the suspected gunman was housed at the Miami Federal Detention Center. Prosecutors filed two federal charges against Routh on September 16,…

Was Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds interrupted by Trump chants during the speech in which she endorsed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for the presidential race? No, that's not true: The audio of the November 6, 2023, speech has been edited to include chants and remarks from a different event that took place on August 12, 2023. The "we want Trump" chants…

Has the state of Florida officially classified COVID-19 mRNA vaccines as bioweapons? No, that's not true: There is no legislation in Florida that has classified mRNA vaccines as bioweapons as of September 18, 2023. One county Republican organization in the state voted to send a letter to Gov. and Republican presidential candidate Ron Desantis requesting the classification but the letter…