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Did basketball player Sophie Cunningham refuse to apologize for her words about transgender athletes in women's sports and thus get suspended for five games? No, that's not true: This story originated as self-described satire. As of this writing, Cunningham was not suspended. The claim appeared in a post (archived here) on X by @mcafeenew on July 30, 2026. It opened:…

Did X owner Elon Musk say that he was "trying to do the greatest amount of good with the limited time I have on Earth"? No, that's not true: His account on the social media platform didn't show such a quote. Lead Stories didn't find any credible sources confirming that those were his actual words. The claim appeared in a…

Did Caitlin Clark "clap back" at Angel Reese, knocking her, or a Golden State Valkyries player, to the floor? No, that's not true: This video clip is AI-generated. It was based on a real altercation between Indiana Fever's star Caitlin Clark and the Valkyries forward Janelle Salaun during a May 22, 2026, game in Indianapolis. Real game footage was used…

Did WNBA star Sophie Cunningham say LeBron James "doesn't have the correct genitalia" to discuss transgender women in sports? No, that's not true: The claim originated on a Facebook page known for posting satirical content that carries the disclaimer, "Nothing on this page is real." The image in the original post also bears the same warning label. Lead Stories found…

Did President Donald Trump post an O.J. Simpson meme showing former President Barack Obama and first lady Melania Trump riding in the white Bronco together? No, that's not true: Trump posted a meme in 2025 on his Truth Social account showing himself in a police car chasing Obama in Simpson's white Bronco with Vice President J.D. Vance in another police…

Does a real photo show an army officer with the "nuclear football" chained to what is described on social media as a "diaper bag" carried by Trump aide Natalie Harp? No, that's not true: The original photo didn't display an army officer or the briefcase allowing access to the nuclear arsenal. The image was digitally altered by AI. The claim…

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 real video or screenshot show President Donald Trump slumped over asleep at the White House Correspondents' Dinner with his mouth hanging open? No, that's not true: A deepfake video appears to be based on real footage from the dinner but has been altered to make Trump appear to fight sleep in an over-the-top, absurdist way. The video was…

Does a viral video show Elon Musk walking together with his family and talking with his children? No, that's not true: A real photo from 2025 was used to generate the AI video. Other than the one source photo, the rest of the scene was imagined by AI. The video has an obvious glitch. It begins with a group of…

Did the State of Minnesota announce it will bring "transgender dolls" to public school classrooms as early as fall 2026? No, that's not true: The state's Department of Education denied that. The dolls are a project of University of Minnesota, and, according to the statement of the academics behind it, are meant to be a "therapeutic tool for use by…