Trump

Did the Federal Communications Commission fine NBC and ABC $25 million each for not carrying President Trump's July 16, 2026, speech and fine CBS $10 million for not airing it in full? No, that's not true: There is no evidence that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has imposed or threatened to impose fines on these three broadcast networks. Both the…

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…

Is a photo of Donald Trump showing him with heavy facial wrinkles, pale skin and sweat authentic? No, that's not true: The image has been altered to exaggerate facial wrinkles and to add bumps to his skin. The alteration has also lightened parts of his face. The original photo published by a news outlet does not show the same skin…

Does a viral video actually document an attack by a giant reptile? No, that's not true: After a visual inspection, Lead Stories found signs of AI-generated content in the video. Three online detectors concluded the clip was between 99 and 99.9% likely made by generative AI. The claim appeared in a post (archived here and here) on X where it…

Was a "back-up Trump" or a body double spotted in the background while President Donald Trump spoke to reporters at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland after the World Cup final? No, that's not true: The person in the background was not a body double for the president but his father-in-law -- Melania Trump's father, Viktor Knavs. On "The Daily Show"…

Does a viral clip accurately document what happened during the 2026 FIFA World Cup award ceremony when Spanish soccer player Lamine Yamal came to the podium to receive a medal from Donald Trump? No, that's not true: Contrary to claims on social media, Yamal didn't refuse to shake hands with U.S. President Donald Trump: their handshake was well-documented by multiple…

Did President Donald Trump publish a post on Truth Social saying that he would "turn the giant faucet" located in California toward Canada as that country's wildfires burn? No, that's not true: There is no evidence that such a post was ever made on Trump's official Truth Social account. The fabricated post seems to reference previous statements made by Trump…

Does a Spanish team photo from the World Cup trophy presentation have U.S. President Donald Trump edited out of it? No, that's not true: Trump was not removed -- digitally or otherwise -- from the photo. Broadcast footage of the ceremony shows Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino just outside the frame. The claim appeared in a post and image…

Did Donald Trump post "Paul McCartney is an anti-Trump joke" on Truth Social? No, that's not true: The post's original creator said it was fake. There is no such message on Trump's Truth Social account, and no credible news reports exist of Trump criticizing McCartney or the Beatles. The claim appeared in a July 17, 2026, post on Facebook account…

Did former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton appeal to China to meddle in the 2020 election during a TV interview with Rachel Maddow on MSNBC? No, that's not true: Clinton posed the hypothetical question while mocking special counsel Robert Mueller. In his report, Mueller had dismissed Donald Trump's call for Russia to help obtain Clinton's private emails in the…