Elections

Does a video show a Kamala Harris staffer saying the vice president "doesn't" own a firearm? No, that's not true: A video posted to social media is sped up and has an incorrect subtitle. The original video played at normal speed shows the staffer said Harris "does own a firearm" although she stutters a bit on the word "own" and…

Did Kamala Harris ignore Hurricane Helene by not tweeting about it as a social media post claimed? No, that's not true: The first post about the natural disaster appeared on her official vice presidential account on X on September 25, 2024. That predated by four days the false statement about Harris supposedly failing to mention the hurricane, which only looked…

Does Project 2025 call for closing the National Hurricane Center? No, that's not true: Nowhere in Project 2025's book, "Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise," does it say that. Instead, it calls for a review of the National Hurricane Center's work. It does recommend breaking up the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which includes the National Weather Service, under which…

Did Travis Kelce announce his support for Kamala Harris' presidential candidacy in late September 2024 after his girlfriend Taylor Swift did the same? No, that's not true: This claim first appeared on a website that says it "specializes in satire, parody, and humor" and that "nothing on this website is real." No actual news websites have reported that Kelce made…

Does a video show Kamala Harris giving a speech in Los Angeles while drunk? No, that's not true: The clip was taken from a video of a 2016 speech Harris gave as California's attorney general. The video's audio has been slowed down to make Harris sound drunk and a caption was added that said "Dear Betty Ford.... HELP !!!". The…

Does a viral video show Donald Trump dancing on "Soul Train" in the 1980s? No, that's not true: When played at reduced speed, the footage of a 1987 "Soul Train" episode reveals that it features a different, younger man with a mullet. As multiple photos of Trump from that year confirm, he didn't have a mullet. The footage was originally…

Does a video on social media show a "Haitian militia" in Springfield, Ohio? No, that's not true: The video shows a group called Israel United in Christ, which describes itself as a nonviolent organization of "Israelites." The group's website says, "WE DON'T ADVOCATE OR CONDONE ANY ACTS OF VIOLENCE AGAINST ANY RACE, ETHNICITY OR GENDER!" The claim appeared in a…

Did Taylor Swift lose five major sponsors after endorsing Kamala Harris for president? No, that's not true: This story initially appeared on a website that says it "specializes in satire, parody, and humor," and that "nothing on this website is real." No actual news websites reported any of this happened. The claim appeared in an article (archived here) titled "Taylor…

Do reports of missing cats in Bangor, Maine, prove that Haitian immigrants were involved with their disappearances? No, that's not true: A Bangor police officer told Lead Stories there's nothing linking the missing cats to Haitians or any other group of people. The officer said it's much more likely that wild predators have been feeding on the felines or that…

Did federal prosecutors release an alleged assassin's bounty letter targeting Donald Trump because they "all want him dead"? No, that's not true: A handwritten letter allegedly by accused gunman Ryan Routh offering $150,000 to "whomever can complete the job" was included as part of the government's motion to keep him behind bars until trial. Other prosecutors say it's standard procedure…

Did a video show several Black men in Springfield, Ohio, opening a suitcase full of frogs and showing them to the camera? No, that's not true: The video appeared earlier on TikTok with a caption that said it was from a Carnival in Grenada. It likely shows a Jab Jab masquerade where greased-up performers sometimes carry around live animals. Lead…

Did Shaquille O'Neal throw Minnesota Governor Tim Walz out of O'Neal's restaurant, as posts on Facebook claimed? No, that's not true: This story first appeared on a website with a satire disclaimer. There is no evidence that O'Neal and Walz ever had such an interaction. The claim appeared in an article (archived here) on the Esspots website on September 7,…

Did FBI crime statistics falsely record no homicides in Los Angeles or New Orleans in 2023? No, that's not true: The FBI's Crime Data Explorer shows that both cities had numerous homicides during that calendar year. The incorrect assertion is based on a chart in the agency's database that displays the age demographics of offenders and victims, not the total…

Did an authentic video show a real interview between Donald Trump and Sean "Diddy" Combs? No, that's not true: It came from a YouTube channel described as "Conversations that never took place between people who never met. Created using existing interviews." Lead Stories found the original interviews from the 1990s used to create the fake one. The claim appeared in…

Did Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman say he'd be voting for Donald Trump? No, that's not true: Fetterman was answering an interviewer's question about why Pennsylvanians who vote for him -- a Democrat -- might also vote for Trump. He used the first person when explaining these voters' mindset, but was not talking about himself. The claim appeared in a post…

Did Kamala Harris use a teleprompter during her September 2024 interview with Oprah Winfrey? No, that's not true: The teleprompter seen in a video clip online is placed well out of Harris' line of vision -- and in the full version of the interview, Harris does not turn her head to peek at it. The device was actually facing Winfrey,…

Does a social media video show Kamala Harris giving a speech in Atlanta on September 20, 2024, while she appeared to be intoxicated? No, that's not true: Lead Stories found the original version of the speech, and the version circulating on social media has been slowed down to make her sound intoxicated. There is no evidence the vice president was…

Did vice presidential candidate JD Vance admit that his campaign gave him a "rent-a-dog" to use on the campaign trail? No, that's not true: Vance's full statement, which he made during an interview with Tucker Carlson, was a sarcastic acknowledgment of an online rumor. Vance also said he owned his dog before his vice presidential candidacy began. The claim appeared…

Has Taylor Swift said that she wishes she could take back endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz during the 2024 presidential election cycle? No, that's not true: The singer has made no such statement and her endorsement Instagram post is still up. The website that reported on the comment has a satire disclaimer and is known…

Does a video show Usher refusing to support Kamala Harris? No, that's not true: In the full video taken from a talk-show appearance Usher said "Yes" when asked if he supports Kamala Harris for president. The video clip used on social media to say the singer didn't support her left that part out. The claim about R&B singer Usher appeared…