Did the U.S. State Department deny Dr. Anthony Fauci's passport renewal application in March 2025? No, that's not true: The original source of that claim about the former Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases was an article on a website that describes its own content as "fiction" and "satire." The article attributed quotations to two fictional…
Did Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announce the release of something called the "Benghazi Files"? No, that's not true: The "news" about the announcement originated on a website with a clear satire disclaimer. It is run by a man known for tricking conservatives into liking and sharing made-up content. The article (archived here) that started the rumor was published by "The…
Was the story about about Rosie O'Donnell's application for residency in Ireland being denied by the Irish Department of Justice real news? No, that's not true: The story originated on a website with a clear satire disclaimer. It is run by a man known for tricking conservatives into liking and sharing made up content. The story appeared in an article…
Did DOGE discover that the General Services Administration has been paying Michelle Obama $122,000 per month since 2009? No, that's not true: The story originated on a website named "The Dunning-Kruger Times" which has a clear disclaimer it publishes satire. It is run by a man who runs a network of sites and Facebook pages designed to trick conservatives into…
Did DOGE uncover a $6 million grant awarded to Whoopi Goldberg to promote diversity on "The View"? No, that's not true: The story originated on a website with a clear satire disclaimer. It is run by a man known for tricking conservatives into liking and sharing made up content. The claim appeared in an article (archived here) published by The…
Did the General Services Administration send Chelsea Clinton $43,000 per month since 2003? No, that's not true: That story originated on a website named "The Dunning-Kruger Times" which has a clear disclaimer it publishes satire. It is run by a man who runs a network of sites and Facebook pages designed to trick conservatives into sharing made up stories. The…
Did DOGE halt a $2.6 million annual payment to former President Obama for "Obamacare" royalties? No, that's not true: The story originated in a meme from a satirical Facebook page. The owner of the page is known for tricking conservatives into liking and sharing made-up content. The meme appeared in a Facebook post (archived here) published on February 25, 2025.…
Were there actual news reports about Nancy Pelosi's vineyard receiving $14 million from USAID for "experimental farming"? No, that's not true: The story originated in a meme from a satirical Facebook page. The owner of the page is known for tricking conservatives into liking and sharing made-up content. The meme appeared in a Facebook post (archived here) published by the…
Was Episcopal Bishop Mariann Budde removed from the National Cathedral by the Episcopal Archdiocese of Washington after she angered newly elected President Donald Trump during the inaugural prayer service? No, that's not true: A spokesperson for the Washington National Cathedral told Lead Stories that Budde "very much remains the Episcopal Bishop of Washington." This story came from a self-described satirical…
Did an international court charge Dr. Anthony Fauci with 2,967,108 counts of murder? No, that's not true: A headline making that claim originated on The Dunning-Kruger Times, a site with a satire disclaimer. The article itself contained several hints it was all satirical and meant to troll those who just shared the headline. The headline appeared in an article published…
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