Does a viral clip show authentic archival footage of U.S. President Ronald Reagan telling a story about his conversation with a child who wanted to solve homelessness? No, that's not true: Two AI detectors found that the clip utilized AI
Here are the latest articles published by U.S. fact-checking sites:
The Dispatch→ ‘Liberation’ Movement
On the euphemism du jour.
PolitiFact→ TikTok posts – There’s no evidence that Speaker Mike Johnson is messaging on Grindr
Screenshots show Speaker Mike Johnson messaging on Grindr.
PolitiFact→ Facebook posts – Video doesn’t show troops preparing to defend Greenland against US
Video shows “France and Denmark are sending troops to Greenland to prepare for (an) attack from Donald Trump.”
PolitiFact→ Marjorie Taylor Greene – Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene is wrong, ‘Sesame Street’ was not replaced by ‘drag queen storytime’
On PBS, "they now have drag queen storytime instead of good old ‘Sesame Street.’"
PolitiFact→ Facebook posts – Elon Musk didn’t fund a Neuralink implant procedure for a 7-year-old named ‘Lily Thompson’
Elon Musk funded a Neuralink implant procedure for a 7-year-old girl “who was diagnosed with a rare neurological disorder.”
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: NO EVIDENCE Trump Threw Away 20 Truckloads Of Food En Route To Ohio Food Banks
Did President Donald Trump cancel 20 truckloads of food en route to Ohio food banks and throw it away rather than give it to needy people? No, that's not true: While the U.S. Department of Agriculture in March of 2025 cut federal funding
FactCheck.org→ Trump’s Misleading Claim on Canadian Dairy Tariffs
Este artículo estará disponible en español en El Tiempo Latino. To support his plan to increase tariffs, President Donald Trump has repeatedly said that the Canadian government charges U.S. farmers a 250% or 270% tariff on dairy products exporte
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: FAKE Truth Social Screenshot Shows Trump Announcing End Of Dual Citizenship, Denaturalization And Deportation Of ‘Traitors’
Did President Trump post a message to Truth Social about denaturalizing and deporting dual citizens as "traitors" under the espionage act? No, that's not true: A viral image purporting to be a screenshot of such a post was fabricated. The
The Dispatch→ Assessing Claims About Referendum Elections Held in Russian-Occupied Regions of Ukraine
The elections were criticized for violating international law and producing fraudulent tallies.
Full Fact→ No, Asda is not offering ‘everyone’ £250
Posts promoting supposed offers that seem too good to be true are very common on sites like Facebook.
Full Fact→ #FactsMatter. Now more than ever.
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: NO EVIDENCE Pam Bondi Issued an Arrest Warrant for Hillary Clinton in March 2025
Did a March 2025 video demonstrate that U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi had issued an arrest warrant for 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton? No, that's not true: the video included two clips of Bondi mentioning the Clint
Full Fact→ How many schools ban mobile phones?
The data we have suggests most schools in England don’t allow pupils to use their phones—although the types of ban vary, and there is evidence that they are often not being followed.
Full Fact→ Sadiq Khan has not proposed to build 40,000 new council homes ‘specifically prioritised for Muslims’
The claim has been shared widely on social media platforms, but it is not accurate.
Lead Stories→ Running List Of April Fools’ Day Pranks And Jokes Spotted On April 1, 2025
It's that day of the year again! April Fools' Day is upon us. We're keeping a running list of the online jokes we spot this year. Seen one we missed? Email tips@leadstories.com and let us know! Flightradar24 Airplane tracking website Flig
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Trump Did NOT Post ‘I Am Ending All the Tariffs Today’ — Screenshot is Fake
Did U.S. President Donald Trump write "I am ending all the tariffs today against China, Canada and Mexico" in an April 1, 2025, post on Truth Social? No, that's not true: A screenshot shared by users on other social media platforms was fa
Full Fact→ From deepfakes to conspiracy theories: a day in the life of a News and Online Journalist at Full Fact
As part of our #FactsMatter campaign, News and Online Journalist Evie Townend explains her role, and shares the best and worst parts of working at Full Fact.
The Dispatch→ Trump’s Ukraine Dealmaking Hits Snags
Frustration in Washington builds as Russia undermines Ukraine peace talks.
The Dispatch→ Aliens and Enemies
What happened to due process?
The Dispatch→ It’s Better to Be Good Than Lucky
Administration officials are excusing the Signal group chat because the Houthi attack succeeded. That’s a problem.
The Dispatch→ A Glimmer of Hope in Gaza
Anti-Hamas protests in the besieged strip should be a cause for optimism.
The Dispatch→ A Pro-Natalism for Normies
Conservatives who want to stabilize birth rates should drop the weird stuff.
The Dispatch→ Is Donald Trump Serious About a Third Term?
Why the talk of Trump 3.0 may be more about who succeeds him.
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Audio Of Elon Musk Telling President Trump ‘Tesla Is Going Down’ Is NOT Real
Is "leaked" audio of Elon Musk telling President Donald Trump that "Tesla is going down" authentic? No, that's not true: Five tests included in the University at Buffalo Media Forensic Lab's Deepfake-O-Meter rated probability that the aud
PolitiFact→ Can Donald Trump become a three-term president?
The Constitution says a twice-elected president can’t run for president again. Legal experts said a determined president could seek to exploit constitutional loopholes, but would face legal hurdles and violate the 22nd Amendment’s spirit.
The Dispatch→ Literally and Seriously
For ‘soft’ Trump supporters, the reckoning comes early.
PolitiFact→ TikTok posts – Apple isn’t secretly installing Starlink into your iPhone with software updates
If you update your iPhone to iOS 18.3, you are going to have Starlink automatically installed in your phone.
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Video Demonstrates A Prop Syringe, NOT Vaccine Avoidance By ‘The Elites’
Does video of a syringe with a retracting needle prove that "the elites" faked receiving vaccinations? No, that's not true: It is generic footage demonstrating the use of a prop syringe for use on stage or during filming. It did not docum
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: NO EVIDENCE Dwayne ‘The Rock Johnson’ Promised On Social Media To ‘Punch’ Elon Musk If He ‘Doesn’t Leave America Alone’
Did wrestler Dwayne Johnson, also known as The Rock, threaten to "punch" Elon Musk on X in March 2025, if the tech billionaire "doesn't leave America alone"? No, that's not true: A review of Johnson's posts doesn't confirm he ever publish
Full Fact→ Keir Starmer did post on social media about Mothering Sunday
Some have claimed the PM posted about Eid on Sunday while failing to mention Mother’s Day. But while that was true on X, he did mention Mother’s Day on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
Full Fact→ World Jewish Congress has not amended working definition of antisemitism to reference JFK assassination
A fake screenshot appears to show the WJC announcing an amendment to the definition of antisemitism to include reference to John F Kennedy’s assassination.
Full Fact→ No, doctors are not going to jail for trying to cure cancer
Viral posts falsely claim it’s illegal for doctors to advise patients on cancer cures.
Full Fact→ ‘Illegal immigrants’ are not entitled to mainstream benefits in the UK
A claim we’ve previously fact checked appears to be recirculating on Facebook.
Full Fact→ Image of fictional characters at the Turkey protests is AI-generated
Although there is genuine footage of someone dressed as Pikachu at protests in Turkey, a picture showing Pikachu, Batman, Spiderman and the Joker running from police is not authentic.
Full Fact→ Warnings of a knife-wielding teenage killer on the loose are hoaxes
The images date back to 2018 and the man pictured was convicted of a different offence to those claimed.
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Posts About ‘Missing Daughter’ Blasia Lackey Are SCAMS
Did a series of Facebook posts in late March 2025 offer genuine concern over Blasia Lackey, a teenager supposedly missing from various locations in the United States? No, that's not true: Such posts were examples of a known "bait-and-swit
Full Fact→ Viral image of Pikachu at Turkey protests is AI-generated
Although there is real footage of someone dressed as Pikachu at protests in Turkey, a viral still image circulating on social media is not authentic.
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Ben Shapiro Did NOT Criticize the Work of Artist Georgia O’Keeffe — Claim Started as Satire
Did commentator Ben Shapiro criticize the work of American painter Georgia O'Keeffe for "not looking like anything"? No, that's not true: quotations attributed to Shapiro actually originated in a 2021 article by the self-described satire
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: UK PM Keir Starmer Did NOT Ignore Mother’s Day, Post About Ramadan — He Posted About Both
Did United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer post on social media about the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, on March 30, 2025, but fail to post about Mother's Day on the same day? No, that's not true: Starmer posted about Mother's Day on