A "satirical" web site fabricated a story linking the fatal storm to the former president and 2015 military exercises at the U.S.-Mexico border.
Publication: Fact Check
Snopes→ Did 81-Year-Old Arthur Hickenlooper Compete on ‘American Ninja Warrior?’
A video purportedly showing an 81-year-old named Arthur Hickenlooper on the game show was met with a heavy dose of skepticism.
Snopes→ Did Donald Trump Cut Funding for Obamacare Enrollment Publicity?
Facebook warnings accurately describe a 90 percent budget cut for publicizing the shortened 2018 enrollment period for Obamacare.
Snopes→ Is this a Doctor Mourning for a Mother Who Died During Childbirth?
A sketchy Facebook page claimed a photograph depicted "crying doctor" mourning for a patient who died in childbirth after struggling with fertility.
Snopes→ Does Zello Work Without Internet?
The Zello app can be useful in an emergency situation, it still requires the internet to function.
Snopes→ Did FEMA Deny Aid to Harvey Victims Unless They Received Vaccinations?
A false rumor that could discourage hurricane victims from seeking aid spread on social media.
Snopes→ Did People Put Sunscreen on Their Eyes During the Solar Eclipse?
A story that spread throughout the world is based on a single person's unverified claim.
Snopes→ Florida Sheriff’s Office Will Not Escort Miami Dolphins Until They Stand For National Anthem?
An old rumor that a police department said that it would not protect NFL players until they stood for the National Anthem was rehashed in September 2017 by a disreputable web site.
Snopes→ Did ‘Liberal Feminist’ Katie Hopkins Advocate ‘Euthanasia Vans’ for the Elderly?
Hopkins, a British commentator known for making outrageous and sometimes morally bankrupt statements, made the comments in 2015.
Snopes→ Are ‘Illegal Immigrants’ To Blame For a Hepatitis A Outbreak in San Diego?
Right-wing web sites tried to link a local health emergency to undocumented immigrants, but without supporting evidence.
Snopes→ Did the Red Cross Prevent 400 Hamburgers from Getting to Harvey Victims?
A vague, viral post claiming that Red Cross volunteers refused to serve hamburgers was reprinted by various web sites without verification.
Snopes→ Is Hurricane Irma on Track to Become A ‘Category 6’ Storm?
A rumor that scientists would create a new hurricane category for Irma led people to believe that the storm had already received that designation.
Snopes→ Trump Saved Two Cats After Hurricane Harvey?
A photograph that purportedly shows President Trump rescuing two cats from a flooded area in Texas was digitally manipulated.
Snopes→ Should You Open Windows During a Hurricane?
Storm lore holds that you should open a window slightly during a hurricane to equalize the inner pressure of a house with the outside lower pressure accompanying the hurricane.
Snopes→ Did Louis Farrakhan Renounce Islam and Convert to Christianity?
A statement by the Nation of Islam leader declaring Jesus Christ his "redeemer" was widely misinterpreted as a disclosure that he converted to Christianity.
Snopes→ Did a Texas Mosque Refuse to Help Hurricane Harvey Survivors?
A "satire" site fabricated a story about a local mosque closing its doors to "infidels" seeking help.
Snopes→ Osteen’s Lakewood Church Checking Member’s Tithe Records?
Reports that the beleaguered pastor of the Houston megachurch provided shelter from the city's floodwaters only to top financial contributors are fake news.
Snopes→ Florida Teacher Suspended After Shocking Sex Ed Demonstration?
Reports that a Florida teacher give 6th grade students an explicit sex ed lesson involving a strap-on sex toy to satisfy Common Core requirements are fake news.
Snopes→ Is the Red Cross Charging Victims of Hurricane Harvey for Disaster Relief Services?
Rumors that the Red Cross is charging victims of Hurricane Harvey conflate past controversies with current events.
Snopes→ Does a Video Show Two Men Looting a Cash Register During Tropical Storm Harvey?
A now-viral video of unknown origin shows two men standing in water taking cash from a register.
Snopes→ Did CNN Stage a Hurricane Harvey Rescue Video?
Conspiracy theorists accused the news network of faking a dramatic live rescue video during Hurricane Harvey.
Snopes→ Did CNN Mistake Tim Allen for Joel Osteen?
CNN did not mistakenly use a picture of actor Tim Allen for a story about pastor Joel Osteen.
Snopes→ Did Trump Assist Rescuers in Pulling Harvey Victims from Floodwaters?
A doctored photograph appears to show the President on a raft in Texas saving a flood victim.
Snopes→ Only 60 of 1,566 Churches in Houston Opened to Help Hurricane Harvey Victims?
A meme claiming that only 4 percent of churches in Houston opened their doors to Hurricane Harvey victims appears to have originated on a satirical Facebook page and was not based on any legitimate statistics.
Snopes→ Texas House Saved from 2016 Flood by ‘Inflatable Dam?’
A Texas homeowner did protect his house from flooding using a dam, but it was filled with water, not air.
Snopes→ Red Cross Served ‘Unacceptable’ Meals to Louisiana Flood Victims?
Viral photographs showed meager, unappetizing meals served to flood victims in Louisiana by the American Red Cross in 2016. They weren't the only images of Red Cross rations out there, however.
Snopes→ Is There a Link Between Major Hurricanes and 29 August?
A viral meme falsely states that four hurricanes hit the United States on 29 August in various years, prompting spurious claims about this "pattern."
Snopes→ Donald Trump Donated Play-Doh, Other Items to Louisiana Flood Victims?
Presidential candidate Donald Trump was criticized for donating Play-Doh to flood victims in need of food and water, but that wasn't the only item among his donations.
Snopes→ Melania Trump Wore Heels to Visit Texas After a Hurricane?
Melania Trump wore high heels while boarding Air Force One, but the First Lady wore sneakers while meeting with officials in Texas.
Snopes→ Protests Seek to #EndFathersDay?
A photograph that shows two women protesting the observance of Father's Day is a digitally manipulated image.
Snopes→ Are There Floating Islands of Fire Ants in Hurricane-Flooded Areas of Texas?
Their behavior is perhaps unnerving, but it is normal during floods.
Snopes→ Can Animal Rescuers Be Prosecuted for Theft for Saving Animals from Harvey?
A rumor exaggerates the (vanishingly small) likelihood that those who rescue animals in danger during a tropical storm in Texas will be prosecuted.
Snopes→ Is FEMA Hiring ‘Field Inspectors’ and Paying Them Thousands Per Week?
The Federal Emergency Management Agency confirmed that a flyer advertising high-paid jobs available through 31 August 2017 is real.
Snopes→ Was Barack Obama President During Hurricane Katrina?
Twitter users tried to pin the blame for Katrina relief issues on Obama, though he wasn't even president when it hit New Orleans.
Snopes→ Paul Ryan Endorsed Antifa?
A meme featuring a fake Paul Ryan quote originated with a fake antifa Twitter account.
Snopes→ Navy Destroyer Collides with Building in Downtown Houston?
A satirical article about a Navy Destroyer colliding with a building during Hurricane Harvey was mistaken for real news.
Snopes→ Is This James Earl Jones Dressed as Darth Vader?
A photograph is often circulated with the false claim that there were racial segregation laws in 1970s London.
Snopes→ Did a Catholic School in California Remove Religious Statues From Its Campus?
Conservative web sites accurately stated that the San Domenico school has removed some statues, but exaggerated the extent of the removal and left out crucial context.
Snopes→ Joel Osteen Sails Luxury Yacht Through Flooded Houston to Pass out Copies of His Book?
A Christian satire site's claim about the popular televangelist using a luxury yacht to promote "Your Best Life Now" in Hurricane Harvey's aftermath was mistaken for real news.
Snopes→ Imminent Changes Introduced to Texas Insurance Law in the Midst of Harvey?
Viral posts on social media largely accurately describe a change to Texas state law about hurricane insurance — but they lack important context.