Is Donald Trump being added to the sculptures of the four presidents at Mount Rushmore National Memorial in South Dakota as of April 1, 2026? No, that's not true: That was an April Fool's Day joke. The article that started the rumor was written under the pen name Olaf Priol -- an anagram of April Fool. The story appeared in…
Oh, joy! It is the most wonderful day of the year (if you are a fact checker)... April Fool's Day is upon us, that day when every outlet, brand, influencer and Internet jokester under the sun tries to come up with something original to fool their audience with. Listing every effort at humor, satire, parody etc. on such a day…
Did country singer Jason Aldean walk off the set of Stephen Colbert's TV show over a joke about Donald Trump? No, that's not true: The story originated on a Facebook page known for its satirical content. The image supporting the claim is stamped with a warning label that says: "Satire. Nothing on this page is real." The claim appeared in…
Did President Donald Trump post to Truth Social that the "United States will begin a major Ground Operation in Iran"? No, that's not true: No such message about a "Strong," "Precise" and "Successful" operation appears on Trump's Truth Social account as of this writing. Google didn't index any message with the text from a viral screenshot that appeared to show…
Did President Donald Trump react with an angry Truth Social post after "only 17 people" turned out for a "Pro Kings" rally in Lexington, Kentucky? No, that's not true: The story originated on the satirical Substack page of comedy writer Andy Borowitz. Trump's Truth Social account showed no posts about such an event, despite what some social media posts claimed…
Did President Donald Trump make a post on Truth Social urging Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to pardon golfer Tiger Woods after he was charged with a DUI? No, that's not true: No such post appeared on Trump's Truth Social account, despite a viral image making the rounds that looked like one. Google did not index any such post either. One…
Was a President Donald Trump quote from a video really about Iran hitting the "world's biggest aircraft carrier" from "17 angles" while planes were taking off every 32 seconds at one in the morning? No, that's not true: The quote was pulled from a longer video in which it is clear Trump was describing the hypothetical reaction of a Venezuelan…
Does a video of an ICE agent taking a U.S. citizen off a plane in Texas show a real incident? No, that's not true: The video was a scripted skit performed by actors, showing a person wearing a face covering and flashing a badge before removing a man from a plane. The TikTok account where it was originally posted features…
Did Erika Kirk announce she was opening an orphanage in honor of Charlie Kirk? No, that's not true: A video on TikTok repeats a false claim which began circulating on social media in late October 2025. There is no record of Erika Kirk announcing plans to build a school for orphans in honor of her late husband. The copy/paste posts…
Does a viral screenshot deliver a real extract from Michael Wolff's book about U.S. President Donald Trump demanding a "gorilla channel" in the White House? No, that's not true: It's an old joke that first emerged in January 2018 as a response to the revelations in Michael Wolff's 'Fire and Fury.' Lead Stories confirmed that the book contains no mention…
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