Fact Check

Has the New York Police Department released the identity of a woman set on fire on a New York subway car as of December 24, 2024? No, that's not true: An agency spokesperson told Lead Stories that as of this writing, the "identification of the victim is pending." Police have, however, charged a suspect. A version of the claim was…

Did Elon Musk say that he bought Boeing? No, that's not true: Musk did not announce the purchase on X, and Boeing published no such information as of this writing. No information about this supposed post has been reported on the website of any news outlets indexed by Google News. The claim appeared in a post (archived here) published on…

Did a menorah get deliberately knocked down on December 19, 2024, in Toronto, as a social media post implied? No, that's not true: Toronto police confirmed to Lead Stories that a car accident resulted in the menorah being knocked down that day. They said there were no other incidents that day involving menorahs. The claim appeared in a post (archived…

Does an authentic video show Elon Musk promoting a Barbara O'Neill remedy for erectile dysfunction and prostatitis? No, that's not true: Two AI detection tools found that the video was likely manipulated using AI technology. Lead Stories has found other AI-generated endorsement videos for O'Neill, an unregistered health practitioner. The story appeared in a post (archived here) published on Facebook…

Was the 2016 months-long Spanish political crisis the same as a government shutdown in the U.S.? No, that's not true: Spain, unable to form a new government at the time, did not experience a gap in national funding, and most government services were delivered as usual. In the U.S., shutdowns are triggered by the absence of an adopted permanent or…

Did President-elect Donald Trump call Elon Musk a "two bit car salesman" in a post shared on Truth Social? No, that's not true: Lead Stories searched Trump's Truth Social account and found that he did not share such a post as of this publication. No information about this supposed post has been reported on the website of any news outlets…

Did President-elect Donald Trump tell Elon Musk to "stay in your lane" in a post shared to Truth Social? No, that's not true: This supposed post was fabricated. Lead Stories checked Trump's verified Truth Social account and did not find such a post as of this publication. The post in question was also not included in a website that archives…

Did Germany decriminalize the possession of child pornography in 2024? No, that's not true: Possession of child pornography in Germany remains a crime as of this publication. However, in some cases, German lawmakers in May 2024 reduced the minimum jail sentences for possessing, distributing or acquiring such material, while the maximum sentences remained the same. The claim appeared in a…

Did a Saudi Arabian immigrant suspected of driving his car into shoppers at a German Christmas market say "Allahu akbar" during a video of his arrest? No, that's not true: Lead Stories reviewed the full 52-second video of a German law enforcement officer placing the suspect under arrest. On the video, the suspect quietly repeats the word "okay" in response…

Has actor Jim Carrey died as of December 15, 2024? No, that's not true: The actor was seen alive in public following the publication of an article that reported his supposed death. The website that published this article contained other articles that falsely reported celebrity deaths and did not list validating information. No information about Carrey's supposed death was reported…

Does a video captured by a New Jersey resident show a drone spraying something in the sky? No, that's not true: The video showed a commercial Boeing 777 jetliner gradually descending as it nears the end of a transatlantic flight from London to Baltimore. Lead Stories cross-referenced the timestamp and location tag from the original video with flight and weather…

Does an authentic video show a weapon being fired at a drone in New Jersey in mid-December 2024? No, that's not true: The earliest version of the video shared on social media doesn't include gunfire or video effects. Robert Earl White, who originally published the clip, clarified in a follow-up post: "Yes, the gunfire is fake in this video ..."…

Was Samir El Hydeouchi identified as the suspect in the December 20, 2024, vehicular attack on a Christmas market in Magdeburg, Germany? No, that's not true: At the time this fact check was written, the suspect was taken into custody and a German official has stated the driver of the car, who was not named, was a Saudi national, a…

Did only House Democrats vote against a spending bill on December 19, 2024, that would have kept the government open until March 2025? No, that's not true: While 197 Democrats voted no, so did 38 Republicans. The bill required a two-thirds supermajority in the House, which meant Republicans needed at least some Democratic Party support. The claim appeared in a…

Does a video shared to Instagram authentically show a car-sized drone or flying object flying over the Las Vegas Strip? No, that's not true: The original video was posted to TikTok with a caption stating, "This video was created digitally." The profile that initially published the video is self-described as "Mixed reality. Definitely not CIA." The claim appeared in a…

Did social media posts accurately cite the words of Elon Musk's mother, Maye, on having children? No, that's not true: The viral quote was a review a critic made of Maye Musk's remarks about having children, not a direct quote. Maye Musk did not mention her "son's factory workers" while discussing the topic on X and Fox News in December…

Did President Joe Biden cut short an expected Christmas stay in Delaware on December 19, 2024, to return to Washington? No, that's not true: According to an official White House news release dated December 15, 2024, Biden was scheduled to return to the White House on December 19, 2024. The schedule also showed that he and the first lady planned…

Is a video that shows UFOs or drones in Maryland in December 2024 authentic? No, that's not true: The creator of the video admitted he "made a fake UFO video with AI." The original video is listed on the creator's account on TikTok under the tab "AI creations" and is set to music from the TV show "The X-Files." The…

Does reporting by the entertainment weekly "Variety" suggest that ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos is "expected to be fired" from the network after its settlement with President-elect Donald Trump? No, that's not true: ABC News told Lead Stories that he signed a new deal with the network after it settled a defamation case with Trump. No information about his supposed…

Did Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum propose annexing Guatemala so it would become the "33rd state" in Mexico? No, that's not true: The rumor about Mexico annexing Guatemala was first debunked by Mexican outlets during the previous president's administration. Lead Stories found no actual news reports that confirmed the purported "annexation" plan under the new administration in Mexico. The claim appeared…