History

Did NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace call for the white flag, which signals the final lap of a race, to be banned, in June 2025? No, that's not true: The rumor originated on a Facebook page that publishes sports-related "sports parodies" and "satire". Wallace, who is Black, previously called for NASCAR to ban displays of the Confederate flag at races, which…

Does a widely-shared video prove that U.S. military tanks patrolled the streets of Washington, D.C. on June 11, 2025? No, that's not true: The person who recorded it told Lead Stories that the 10-second clip showed an armored vehicle that was in the nation's capital to participate in a military parade on June 14, 2025. That account was consistent with…

Did a viral clip show the actor Wyatt Russell giving an impassioned speech to federal agents in Los Angeles, amid protests against ICE roundups in June 2025? No, that's not true: A Democratic strategist named Aaron Fisher told Lead Stories he was the man shown in the clip. A representative for Russell had earlier denied the actor gave the speech.…

Did Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem "Admit" under oath that Republicans voted to allow Jan. 6 rioters to serve in ICE roles, as numerous viral posts claimed? No, that's not true: The claim appeared in a meme spread by an account labelled "Satire/Parody". There's no record of such a statement by Noem on the Department of Homeland Security website, on…

Lead Stories is sad to learn of the announcement of the passing of Pablo Reyes Santiago (also via his Facebook account) and we offer our deepest condolences to his friends and family. Although he may not have realized it, Pablo was instrumental to the history of Lead Stories as a fact checking website. He was so famous for his pranks…

Did Donald Trump announce he is imposing a 300% penalty on landlords who raise rents excessively? No, that's not true: No White House news releases or videos corroborate that. The rumor arises from a fake news-style video providing no authentic quotes, links, interviews or other evidence Trump made such a proposal. The claim appeared on a June 3, 2025 TikTok…

Did the International Federation of Football (FIFA) move the World Cup 2026 from the United States because of President Trump's strict immigration policies? No, this is not true: As of June 4, 2025, FIFA and its president, Gianni Infantino, have not announced any changes to the hosting arrangement for the tournament, which will be held for the first time in…

Did Chick-Fil-A drop a new advertisement for Pride Month 2025 that includes the slogan "Our pickles don't touch. Just like God intended."? No, that's not true: The ad is a fake and has circulated online for several years. There is no trace of it in the news or on the company's website. Lead Stories reached out for comment but has…

Did cadets' concerns about upholding their Honor Code cause Donald Trump to leave West Point graduation on May 24, 2025 without shaking the hand of every graduate, as a viral social media post claimed? No, that's not true: The post, reshared 39,000 times on Facebook in less than a day, was satire, author Robert Hawks said after fact checkers looked…

Did the 241 inhabitants of a town called Tremont, Nevada mysteriously disappear overnight in July 1954? No, that's not true: Tremont, Nevada never existed. The story originated in May 2025 on an Instagram account that posts horror fiction. The claim started in a May 22, 2025, post on Instagram (archived here), and read in part: "The last call? A child…