Blue Feed

Is a recording sounding like President Joe Biden telling people to "own a musket for home defense" real? No, that's not true: Although the voice sounds like Biden, video clearly shows he's speaking different words than those heard in the recording. Also, the phrase -- "own a musket for home defense" -- is the start of a well-known copypasta, a…

During his 2023 State of the Union address, did President Joe Biden say, "Capitalism is exploitation"? No, that's not true: The quote and the video it comes from have been edited. Biden said, "Capitalism without competition is exploitation," not "Capitalism is exploitation." Also, the president's altered words came from his State of the Union address about a year earlier in…

Did former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton state that cash should be banned to combat climate change? No, that's not true: Clinton never made such an assertion during a speech in Gujarat, India, and Lead Stories has not found any proof that she has ever publicly made such a statement. The claim originated from an article (archived here) published by…

Did Dr. Tom Shimabukuro, director of the Immunization Safety Office at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), admit COVID-19 vaccines are causing "debilitating illnesses"? No, that's not true: In the context of talking about unverified data from the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) on COVID vaccine side effects, Shimabukuro acknowledged "reports of people experiencing long-lasting health problems,"…

Did President Joe Biden go on a transphobic rant live on national television? No, that's not true: A viral video mimicking his manner of speech had the authentic sound replaced with a made-up voice-over, probably utilizing a deep fake technology. The claim appeared in a video published on Instagram on February 5, 2023, under the title: Best Speech Ever The…

Does a 2020 study published before the approval of any COVID-19 vaccine prove the existence of a conspiracy to burn chicken farms to prevent populations from getting access to eggs that allegedly can protect from COVID? No, that's not true: The study and its conclusions have been significantly misinterpreted, and there is no evidence that eating commercially available eggs affects…

Is the same RNA technology found in COVID-19 shots now being added to chicken feed, causing the poultry that eats it to have fertility problems? No, that's not true: "Commercial feed manufacturers are not adding RNA to chicken feed," a spokesperson for the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association told Lead Stories. Amid an avian flu outbreak that has resulted in…

Has an international blood bank called Safe Blood Donation been opened in at least 16 countries to offer "pure blood," free of COVID-19 vaccines? No, that's not true: A disclaimer on the company's website says the Safe Blood Donation blood bank is not currently in operation and does not grant access to unvaccinated blood. Rather, the company offers a paid…

Did celebrities call for a "total Hollywood strike" until everyone is vaccinated against COVID-19? No, that's not true: The claim, posted by a prolific publisher of fake news, is based on a fake tweet purportedly from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. An Academy representative told Lead Stories it is not their tweet. The claim appeared in an…

Did Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates or any of the business entities affiliated with him cause an egg shortage in the U.S.? No, that's not true: There is no evidence to support this theory. The claim appeared in a video on Instagram on January 31, 2023, under the title: BILL GATES SYNTHETIC EGG PLAN COMING ALONG NICELY! EGG SHORTAGE...NOW THIS? The…

Did the driver for John F. Kennedy, Secret Service Agent William Greer, turn around and shoot the former president when JFK was assassinated in Dallas in November 1963? No, that's not true: A video posted on social media that makes this claim provides no supporting evidence beyond its grainy images. There also is no proof elsewhere that Greer played a…

Did President Joe Biden say during a January 26, 2023, event that "No president added more to the debt in four years than my president"? Yes, that's true: But a social media video of his comment is missing context. Just before this remark, Biden said that he was talking about "my predecessor" -- a reference to President Donald J. Trump.…

Did a medical expert named Dr. Derek Knauss (or Knaus) prove that 1,500 COVID-19 diagnostic tests did not actually contain traces of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, but did test positive for influenza A and B? No, that's not true: Lead Stories found no evidence that any such research has taken place or been published in a reputable scientific journal. Extensive searches…

Is the World Health Organization (WHO) compelling member states, through an amendment to its International Health Regulations, to abandon "the dignity of human beings, the human rights of human beings and fundamental freedoms"? No, that's not true: The video making this claim misrepresented the purpose of the cited WHO document and disregarded the fact that the proposed amendments to the…

Did nearly a quarter of a million voting attempts fail in the November 8, 2022, election in Arizona and did that impact the vote count? No, that's not true: The communications director for the Maricopa County Elections Department called the allegation "textbook disinformation." While many ballots were scanned and rescanned multiple times, the votes were ultimately counted. Arizona Secretary of…

Do pictures from former President Donald Trump's and President Joe Biden's inaugural ceremonies represent an adequate comparison between the respective popularity of the two presidents? No, that's not true: The photos were taken under dramatically different circumstances, making such a comparison irrelevant. Unlike Trump's inauguration, which was more in line with standard protocol for presidential inaugurations, Biden's inaugural committee had…

Did Russian special forces, under the direction of Russian President Vladimir Putin, destroy an "adrenochrome lab in Ukraine" as of January 23, 2023? No, that's not true: This claim comes from a website that regularly publishes fabricated content. Lead Stories has previously debunked content from this website that mentioned the "adrenochrome" conspiracy theory. The claim appeared in an article published…

Does a video circulating on social media prove that the Social Security Administration (SSA) headquarters in Maryland was abandoned and "nobody works there" as of January 2023? No, that's not true: The clip was shot in 2022, during a COVID-related temporary suspension of operations in the building. As of January 23, 2023, the building is "open and fully operational," the…

Does a background screening document prove that Hunter Biden paid his father, President Joe Biden, nearly $50,000 per month in rent to live in his father's Delaware home? No, that's not true: The amount listed on the form as "Monthly Rent" -- $49,910 -- matches what the younger Biden paid in quarterly rent for an office space in Washington, D.C.,…

Is President Joe Biden actually "unelected" and is his status as president "in violation of the Constitution"? No, that's not true: In accordance with the Constitution, Biden was duly elected as president of the United States. This process is not, as a social media post claims, an overreach of the federal government. The claim appeared in a post on Instagram…