Barack Obama

Were 31 U.S. servicemen killed in Afghanistan "yesterday"? No, that's not true: Versions of a post that has circulated since at least 2015 use details of a 2011 attack in which 30 U.S. servicemen and eight Afghans were killed when a U.S. military helicopter was shot down. The post reappeared in August 2021 as U.S. troops left Afghanistan. The original…

Did Barack Obama pay for a new hospital in Martha's Vineyard named Kunduz following his lavish birthday party? No, that's not true: the post is a satirical dig at the former president, who threw an elaborate 60th birthday party for himself at his Massachusetts compound. "Kunduz hospital" refers to a 2015 U.S. airstrike in Afghanistan while he was commander in…

Is a letter rejecting AARP membership and criticizing President Joe Biden's "Socialist politics" from 2021? No, that's not true: The letter was written in 2009 during the administration of former President Barack Obama. A copy of the letter circulating online in 2021 included language that didn't appear in the original letter, including comments about the "Biden Regime" and "illegal perpetrators,"…

Was Amazon.com founder and CEO Jeff Bezos flipping burgers at McDonald's at 23 years old? No, that's not true: at that age, Bezos was a Princeton University graduate who turned down various job offers to work for a start-up telecommunications company. The claim appeared in an Instagram post (archived here) published on June 23, 2021. The post was a graphic…

Were President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris both out of the country at the same time in June 2021? No, that's not true: although there appears to be no law stating that at least one has to remain in the country while the other is abroad, Biden and Harris have not been out of the country at the…

Did theoretical physicist Shirley Jackson invent fiber-optic cables, the touch-tone phone and caller ID? No, that's not true: All of these were invented by other people. Although her professional accomplishments and accolades are many, she did not invent those telecommunication advances as a post claims, nor did she invent call waiting, the portable fax machine or the solar cell, which…

Does a list of indictments, arrests and executions reveal a number of politicians, celebrities and royals who have been executed including Barack and Michelle Obama? No, that's not true. This list is completely false. It is part of the baseless and debunked QAnon conspiracy theory: that Donald Trump is fighting a secret international cabal of child sex predators made up…

Did Dr. Anthony Fauci's "project manager" confess to creating COVID-19? No, that's not true: The claim is based on an old interview with Dr. Peter Daszak, president of EcoHealth Alliance, a global environmental health organization. The video that purportedly includes his admission only shows Daszak talking about coronavirus research; he says nothing about creating SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.…

Did a video featuring Lt. General Tom McInerney and Maria Zack show proof of election fraud? No, that's not true. The retired general and the Nations in Action website founder repeated previously debunked claims about election fraud in the 2020 presidential race, offering no new proof or evidence of their claims. The claims appeared in a video (archived here) published…

Did President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden put former President Jimmy Carter and former first lady Rosalynn Carter at risk by not wearing masks inside the Carters' home? No, that's not true: Although the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention generally recommends wearing face coverings for maximum protection against COVID-19, fully vaccinated individuals like the Carters and the…