History

Does a real screenshot show U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner of Maine made "German WW2 references" in sexual messages? No, that's not true: The image originated on social media accounts known for their satirical content. There is no evidence that such an exchange ever took place between Platner and anyone else, and Lead Stories found no credible news coverage documenting…

Does a viral post on social media offer any verifiable information confirming that a four-year waiting list for superyacht purchases is entirely made up of Ukrainian officials? No, that's not true: No posts making such a claim included any specific, verifiable data. The man who was the first to spread the rumor refused to disclose the name of the shipbuilder…

Does a meme accurately show a real "epic moment" exchange between Trump and Obama about Iran nuclear deals? No, that's not true: There is no evidence that such an exchange ever took place on social media or anywhere else. Lead Stories found no credible news coverage documenting the alleged incident. The claim appeared in a post (archived here) by the…

Did the family of three sisters who drowned in Brighton, England, in May 2026 previously run a GoFundMe campaign for their mother, whose body was never found? No, that's not true: The body of the mom, Janice Adetoro, was recovered from a lake in Birmingham, England, in early February 2010. There is no evidence that a GoFundMe was ever started,…

Did the White House publish a post commemorating the tenth anniversary of the death of Harambe the Gorilla? Yes, that's true: The official White House account on X (formerly Twitter) made a post on May 27, 2026, on Harambe's birthday, and the eve of the 10-year anniversary of his death at the Cincinnati Zoo. The post (archived here) was published…

Is the color footage showing a 1923 demonstration of one-wheeled roller skates or cycle-skates real? Yes, that's true: The movie footage from 1923 is real, but it has been colorized. This design of the skates by a French inventor was promoted with some races in 1923. Black and white archive footage of a skating demonstration and one of the races…

Did actor James Woods call President Donald Trump the "most treacherous and truly worthless Republican leader in the history of the party" in May 2026? No, that's not true: The quote never mentions Trump. King's caption adds that context without it being present in Woods' original post. The social media post links to a video from Senate Majority Leader John…

Does a reputable poll show President Donald Trump has 99% support in Israel? No, that's not true: There is no publicly available poll showing Donald Trump with 99% support in Israel. When Trump made that claim, he did not identify any poll supporting the figure, and Lead Stories was unable to find one either. The claim appeared in a video…

Did the Department of Justice issue a warrant to seize Sen. Adam Schiff's financial records or suspend his passport over alleged U.S. House January 6 Committee cash grifts? No, that's not true: The story originated on a Facebook page known for its satirical content, which carries the warning "Nothing on this page is real." The original image supporting the claim…

Does a video show a real attacker threatening Michael Jackson with a rifle on stage? No, that's not true: The footage shows a staged theatrical moment from Jackson's 1996-1997 HIStory World Tour. The scene took place during "Earth Song," which explored themes of environmental destruction and human conflict. The claim appeared in a post and video (archived here) by the…