Did NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte publicly say that "if Trump surrenders Ukraine to Putin, he will personally expel the United States from the alliance"? No, that's not true: A NATO spokesperson described the claim as "bogus." The rumor was promoted by a Russian propaganda website and anonymous pro-Kremlin Telegram channels. The claim appeared in a post (archived here) on X…

Does a video authentically show Canadian Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland swaying oddly on a podium? No, that's not true: A video splices together parts of a press conference video where Freeland pauses to allow journalists to ask questions. A "warp effect" has been added to exaggerate Freeland's facial expressions and body movements as she reacts to reporters. The claim…

Are social media posts asking for help identifying a disoriented, lost "old lady" who may have dementia real? No, that's not true: This post is part of an online bait-and-switch scam that deceives social media users into viewing posts that are later edited to show fake advertisements. Lead Stories previously debunked similar scam posts about a lost "old lady" with…

Does a viral image portray Kamala Harris and Hillary Clinton together "after the election results" in 2024? No, that's not true: The image was online before that. Harris' and Clinton's outfits in the picture match what they wore for the November 3, 2022, event in New York where they both campaigned for New York Gov. Kathy Hochul. The claim appeared…

Did Elon Musk buy CNN in November 2024? No, that's not true: A CNN spokesperson told Lead Stories "there is no truth in rumors of a sale or change in ownership of CNN whatsoever." The assertion was made by Argentinian President Javier Milei and was picked up by Argentinian news outlets, but he offered no proof of such a sale.…

Did New York City announce it would stop providing all food assistance to migrants? No, that's not true: The city announced that it would stop giving prepaid debit cards to migrants to buy their own food. Instead it will return to delivering boxed meals to migrants staying at hotels, a City Hall spokesman told Lead Stories. The claim was implied…

Did the president of Mexico say she won't recognize Donald Trump as president as of November 7, 2024? No, that's not true: Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum did acknowledge Trump's victory on her official X account on November 6, 2024. She said, "my most sincere congratulations to Donald Trump, who won the presidential election of the United States of America." The…

Were there 15 million, 18 million or even 20 million fewer votes in 2024 versus the election numbers from 2020, disproving reports of record turnout or implying cheating in vote totals? No, that's not true: As of November 7, 2024, final vote numbers had not been reported in any state. An election expert told Lead Stories that count would take…

Were over 2,000 suicides officially reported in the U.S. the day after the 2024 U.S. presidential election? No, that's not true: Lead Stories found no reports confirming that number. The figure widely shared online is more consistent with average global statistics over the years and is roughly 15 times higher than historic numbers for the U.S. -- but as of…

Did Melania Trump, the wife of President-elect Donald Trump, participate in an interview with an alternative health Instagram account, during which she said she uses "moringa powder"? No, that's not true: There is no evidence Melania Trump took part in such an interview. The account that posted this information does not appear to be a news outlet but a business…