Fact Check

Did the U.S. Senate just confirm Charles F. "Chuck" Sams III as head of the National Park Service, the first Indigenous person from the U.S. to hold the role, in November 2026? No, that's not true: Sams was confirmed into that role in 2021, and his tenure ended in January 2025. The current acting director of the NPS was not…

Did Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton release a statement saying he "cannot accept" that his defeat to James Talarico in the November 2026 U.S. Senate race was "free or fair"? No, that's not true: Paxton conceded the race in a speech on Nov. 3, 2026. Lead Stories found no reports from established news outlets indicating Paxton had rejected the election…

Does a viral image show Niagara Falls lit up blue to celebrate Democrats winning control of Congress in the 2026 midterms? No, that's not true: According to the spokesperson for the body managing the falls on the Canadian side, political messaging is not allowed under the park's policies. On Nov. 3, 2026, the lights were announced as teal -- for…

Did Canadian performer Tate McRae post a photo of herself wearing a "Make America Great Again" red cap on Election Day in the U.S.? No, that's not true: Three online tools concluded that the image was digitally edited with AI. The original photo showed a cap with a sports apparel brand's logo. The claim appeared in a post (archived here)…

Was paper thickness the cause of the Westchester County, New York, ballot scanner problems on election day, Nov. 3, 2026? No, that's not true: Westchester County election officials initially appeared to blame the problem of the voting machines not accepting ballots on the thickness of the paper early on Nov. 3, 2026. However, the New York State Board of Elections…

Does an image show Amazon founder Jeff Bezos after getting a hair transplant in 2026? No, that's not true: The image appears to be a 2023 photo of Bezos altered with AI, with Hive Moderation rating it 99.9% likely to be AI-generated. Lead Stories found no reports from established news outlets confirming that the businessman received a hair transplant in…

Does a real video show a vintage Volkswagen Beetle outpulling a Tesla Cybertruck in a racetrack matchup? No, that's not true: This video contains many signs that it was made with AI. Aside from the unlikely outcome, the crowd in the background is making unnatural glitchy cheering movements and a large number of them are wearing similar outfits. The clip…

Did Fox News call the Georgia Senate race for Stacey Abrams on Nov. 3, 2026? No, that's not true: "This is not a real image and did not air on FOX News," a spokesperson for the network told Lead Stories. Abrams is not running for Senate in Georgia and is not on the ballot in 2026. The account that posted…

Was Alexandra Dudgeon named as the pilot of the plane that crashed in Palm Beach County, Fla., in November 2026? No, that's not true: Dudgeon said on her LinkedIn account that she was not involved in the accident, and her mother, Cara Mason, said the same. Lead Stories found no matching reports from established news outlets that she was aboard…

Did House Speaker Mike Johnson warn Republicans that if they lose the midterm elections that Democrats will go after "the rest of you who have committed crimes"? No, that's not true: Video from the event where he made the remarks shows he warned Republicans that the Democrats would be going after the president and people associated with him, saying "half…

Did Elon Musk announce on his X account that he is making an app with which "bored billionaires" pay other people's bills? No, that's not true: Musk's account does not show that he ever made such a post. No established news outlets published reports that would confirm the supposed announcement. The claim appeared in a post (archived here) by the…

Does a viral video show an Iranian attack on a U.S. carrier on Nov. 3, 2026? No, that's not true: The claim recycled an AI video that had been online for months before that day. Lead Stories previously debunked another claim that used the same clip. The claim appeared in a post (archived here) on X where it was published…

Did the FBI find more than 20,000 fraudulent ballots in a Houston storage locker, "all for Democrats"? No, that's not true: The FBI said, "no election-related operation occurred." The false story originated from social media accounts that regularly publish satirical content; the creator's Facebook page lists its category as "comedian," although not all of the creator's accounts include a comedy…

Did rapper Kanye West share his thoughts on the situation in Poland while being interviewed in front of the country's Constitutional Court by TV Republika? No, that's not true: Neither the website of the TV station nor its YouTube account showed such a report. Two online tools found that a screenshot that appeared to show a TV broadcast contained AI-generated…

Did the plane that crashed in Palm Beach County, Fla., on Nov. 1, 2026, have Bad Bunny on board? No, that's not true: Lead Stories found no matching reports from established news outlets that Bad Bunny was aboard the Learjet that went down in Greenacres, Fla. Established news outlets reported the names of all nine victims, none of whom was…

Is the U.S. Midterm Election held on a Wednesday in 2026, as the official account of the FBI's New Haven branch posted? No, that's not true: According to 2 U.S.C. 7, elections are to be held "the Tuesday next after the 1st Monday in November, in every even numbered year". In 2026 that date falls on Tuesday, November 3rd. The…

Does a video show Elon Musk's helicopter blocking traffic on a busy road just to get some food? No, that's not true: The video shows a medical helicopter at the scene of a traffic accident involving a concrete truck which tipped over on its side in Southaven, Mississippi, on Oct 31, 2026. Traffic camera footage, Flightradar24 data, and bystander photos…

Does an image show Sen. Chris Murphy in the hospital following a stroke? No, that's not true: The account that posted the image describes itself as a parody account, and Lead Stories found no matching reports from established news outlets confirming the claim. Although Murphy was hospitalized following a health emergency, the pixelated image is not of him; it shows…

Did Brazil enact a "food embargo" on Europe? No, that's not true: The website of the Brazilian government said nothing about it. No established media organizations published any reports about it, either: there were only stories related to the disruption of Brazilian exports going to Europe in September 2026. The claim appeared in a post (archived here) on X where…

Do photos show a pickup truck carrying ballots "southbound on the 215 and Clinton Keith" in Menifee, California? No, that's not true: The U.S. Postal Service said, "There is no evidence that the items being transported were in Postal Service custody," and the Riverside County, California, Registrar of Voters told Lead Stories that it does not transport ballots in the…