Posse Comitatus

Was Bureau of Labor Statistics Commissioner Erika McEntarfer arrested by "U.S. Navy JAG" on "treason charges" related to the weak July 2025 job report published by the agency? No, that's not true: As of this writing, McEntarfer was fired by the Trump administration, but no credible source has published any reports about the purported arrest. The rumor came from a…

Does a recently updated Pentagon directive now authorize the military to kill American protesters? No, that's not true: The Pentagon told Lead Stories the new policies "do not authorize the DOD to use lethal force against U.S. citizens ..." The online text of Department of Defense Directive 5240.01 does not allow the military "to kill Americans who engage in political…

Did Navy SEALs raid a warehouse belonging to rapper Sean "Diddy" Combs and seize a stockpile of adrenochrome that he used as a drug at his orgies? No, that's not true: The story is from a website that regularly publishes fabricated content, and there's no proof that any such military operation ever took place. Adrenochrome has long been the subject…

Did United States Marines arrest two United States Customs and Border Protection Patrol agents for accepting bribes from immigrants for entry into the United States on February 19, 2024? No, that's not true: This claim appeared on a website that publishes fabricated content. Also, the United States Marine Corps does not have jurisdiction to arrest customs and border patrol officials.…

Was former talk show host Oprah Winfrey convicted by the U.S. Navy Judge Advocate General's Corps and sentenced to death? No, that's not true: The claim appeared in an article on a website that regularly publishes fabricated content, and as Lead Stories previously reported, there is no evidence that Winfrey was ever detained in Guantanamo Bay as the same website…

Did U.S. Special Forces arrest Attorney General Merrick Garland on January 29, 2024? No, that's not true: This claim appeared on a website that publishes fabricated content. The Posse Comitatus Act also prohibits the U.S. military from arresting civilians unless authorized to do so under an act of Congress. There is no evidence that any such authorization was applied to…

Did U.S. Marines arrest former White House Chief of Staff John Kelly? No, that's not true: A Pentagon duty officer told Lead Stories that the claim is false. The claim appears in an article on a website that regularly publishes fabricated content. The claim appeared in an article published by Real Raw News on January 23, 2024, titled "Marines Arrest…

Did the U.S. Judge Advocate General's Corps arrest 97 media personnel in November and December 2023? No, that's not true: A Pentagon duty officer told Lead Stories that this claim is false. Also, the website where this claim was made declares it publishes fabricated content. The claim appeared in an article published by Real Raw News on January 21, 2024,…

Was former talk show host Oprah Winfrey arrested and sent to Guantanamo Bay in early December 2023? No, that's not true: There is no evidence that Winfrey is in Guantanamo Bay. She has posted as recently as January 15, 2024, on her verified social media accounts and has made public appearances since December 2023. The claim appeared in an article…

Did the U.S. Navy Judge Advocate General's Corps (JAG) place journalist Mehdi Hasan under arrest on January 7, 2024, for committing treason? No, that's not true: Hasan has been active on his verified social media accounts since the date of the purported arrest, with no mention of being arrested. Also, the website where this claim was made publishes fabricated content.…