New Jersey

Did a viral image showing a pile of bricks capture a scene in Los Angeles during anti-ICE protests in June 2025? No, that's not true: The photo was taken on the opposite coast of this country, thousands of miles away. The bricks in question were stacked up in New Jersey for construction work, as confirmed by local reporting. The claim…

Did the International Federation of Football (FIFA) move the World Cup 2026 from the United States because of President Trump's strict immigration policies? No, this is not true: As of June 4, 2025, FIFA and its president, Gianni Infantino, have not announced any changes to the hosting arrangement for the tournament, which will be held for the first time in…

Did American Idol winner Jamal Roberts turn down a Tesla ad from Elon Musk in an upcoming music video? No, that's not true: A viral article about such a rejection did not name any verifiable sources or offer any quotes to back that up. It also claimed there had been a "media frenzy" about the issue but no media outlets…

Did basketball star Caitlin Clark publicly refuse to advertise Tesla on her Indiana Fever jersey in May 2025? No, that's not true: A post promoting that rumor contained several fabricated quotes attributed to both Clark and Tesla owner Elon Musk. We found no corroboration for the story, or the claim that Clark had threatened to reveal damaging secrets about Musk.…

Did Rep. LaMonica McIver, D-NJ, start singing "You Fight On" during a CNN interview about her recent arrest on an assault charge at an ICE facility? No, that's not true: The purported video of the spontaneous singing was digitally created by the administrator of a parody account on X.com. The video's creator acknowledged this in a post, and the account…

Were there real media reports about Senator Chuck Schumer getting $16 million from NASA through a New Jersey based shell company? No, that's not true: The absurd story involving "zero-gravity-compatible scones, Belgian waffles, and mini-muffins" originated on a site that is clearly labeled as satirical. It is run by a man known for tricking conservatives into liking and sharing made-up…

Have prosecutors Fani Willis and Alvin Bragg been disbarred from the practice of law after a "bombshell" Trump announcement? No, that's not true: Both the Fulton County, Georgia and New York County district attorneys are still licensed in their respective states and no record of disbarment is online. The post making the claim offered no evidence of disciplinary action against…

In February 2025, public health officials in Texas reported the death of an unvaccinated child following a measles infection. As of this writing, national health authorities report at least three outbreaks of the highly infectious, vaccine-preventable disease across eight states. As communities prepare for potential increases in cases, Lead Stories has compiled information summarizing the Texas outbreak, how cases have…

Did an executive order signed by President Donald Trump reverse "the plastic straw ban"? No, that's not true: No such national "ban" was enacted by Congress. Trump's order counters policies of former President Joe Biden aimed at gradually phasing out single-use plastic items in the future, which affected only the operations of federal agencies. While some localities do have restrictions…

Was the George Floyd statue removed from the National Mall in Washington in February 2025? No, that's not true: The National Park Service told Lead Stories that it had never erected a statue of Floyd on the National Mall. The image used in the social media post shows a statue that was erected for George Floyd in Newark, New Jersey.…