Examining Trump’s claims of Reflecting Pool vandalism
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: FAKE Video Shows Two Towers Crashing Into Each Other During Venezuela Earthquakes
Does a video show two towers crashing into each other during the Venezuela earthquakes on June 24, 2026? No, that's not true: An AI detection tool determined that the video was 98.6% "likely to be AI-generated" and appears to be a 3D phys
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: AI-Enhanced ‘Reflecting Pool Dipper’ Images Do NOT Reliably Identify Suspect
Do real, clear images show a person wanted in connection to the "destruction" of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, known as the "Reflecting Pool Dipper"? No, that's not true: The images, while based on real footage, are enhanced with
PolitiFact→ Move Indigo – Yes, New Yorkers with second homes in the Empire State can choose where they want to vote
New York state law allows citizens with dual residences to choose where they want to vote.
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: FAKE Image Shows Alyssa Thomas Smiling As She Fouls Caitlin Clark In WNBA Game
Does a real image show Alyssa Thomas smiling as she fouls Caitlin Clark during a WNBA game on June 22, 2026? No, that's not true: No video or photographic evidence shows Thomas smiling while over Clark. The image also originated from a vi
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Fake Video Shows A Man In A Muslim Mob Spray Painting A Butcher Shop Window In England — AI-Generated With Many Glitches
Does a real video show an angry group of Muslims in England shouting "Unclean" and defacing a butcher shop with graffiti? No, that's not true: The Hive Moderation AI-generated content detection tool determined with 75.9% confidence the vi
Full Fact→ What progress has Keir Starmer made on Labour’s ‘first steps for change’? Our Government Tracker’s verdict
Our tracker’s monitoring Labour’s delivery of its pledges. In the week the PM announced his resignation, here’s what it tells us about some of Labour’s most prominent promises.
Full Fact→ Video of ‘British Muslims’ marching for ‘halal standards’ is an AI fake
The video, which claims to depict massive crowds that have ‘shut down London’ with a march demanding halal food standards, has hundreds of comments from people who mistakenly believe it to be real.
Full Fact→ Image of queueing traffic does not show people leaving Crimea over fuel shortages
A picture is circulating on social media with false claims it shows a traffic jam of cars trying to leave Russian-annexed Crimea over fuel shortages. But it’s actually from Armenia.
FactCheck.org→ Trump’s Unsupported Claims About Reflection Pool Vandalism
President Donald Trump has repeatedly blamed vandals for damaging the new blue lining of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, which is now peeling, as well as for algae in the water. But the administration has not provided evidence to back up the pre
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: FAKE Quotes Not From Lionel Messi About 100-Year-Old Fan — Came From ‘Fan Account’ Not Argentine Soccer Player
Did the Argentine soccer star Lionel Messi speak at length about his emotions upon seeing a woman holding a "100 year old Messi fan" banner in the stands? No, that's not true: While a centenarian in the stands really did hold up a sign fo
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: WNBA Did NOT Say Caitlin Clark Would Get Technical Foul For Lifting Her Knee Toward Alyssa Thomas — Day After Game Thomas Gets Foul, 1-Game Suspension
Did the WNBA say Caitlin Clark would get a technical foul for lifting her knee toward Alyssa Thomas during a game? No, that's not true: The WNBA did not release such a statement immediately after the game. There are no statements on any o
PolitiFact→ Graham Platner – Platner says Collins sided with Trump to cut Medicaid, SNAP and help the rich. That’s False.
Sen. Susan Collins “sided with Trump, giving billionaires and corporations a hand out, paid for by cuts to Medicaid and SNAP.”
PolitiFact→ Colombia's fast voting results aren't proof of cheating in California elections
Why Colombia, California elections don’t compare
PolitiFact→ Donald Trump – Donald Trump exaggerates 401(k) gains during his second term
In the past 13 months, “The typical 401(k) … is up almost $30,000.”
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Harry Kane Did NOT Say He Lost Control of His Body During Ghana Match After Witch Doctor’s ‘Curse’
Did England football star Harry Kane say he lost control of his body during the Ghana World Cup match after a witch doctor's "curse"? No, that's not true: In post-match interviews, Kane never mentioned any physical problems, but instead d
Full Fact→ What does the new 22% charge mean for stocks and shares ISAs?
Changes to stocks and shares ISA rules announced this week have caused widespread confusion online.
PolitiFact→ Why dermatologists are excited about bemotrizinol, the newest sunscreen ingredient to enter the US
US sunscreens enter a new age with bemotrizinol
Full Fact→ No, Amazon is not selling HP laptops for £3
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: FAKE Photo Does NOT Show Officer From Montreal Shooting — The Image Is Likely AI-Generated And Victim Was Not A Rabbi
Does a photo show the police officer who reportedly shot a rabbi during a Montreal shooting in late June 2026, carrying a rifle and wearing a uniform? No, that's not true: The image displays multiple indicators of AI generation and also a
Lead Stories→ Viral Video Of Littered Street In Paris — What We Know
Does a viral video of a littered sidewalk represent a typical street in Paris? Here's what we know: It does show a street in the French capital, but it's a rather remote location known for law enforcement raids against unauthorized flea m
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Altered Photo Of Tray Liner Under McDonald’s Breakfast Shows Charlie Kirk Lookalike — Not Real
Was Charlie Kirk, or a person strongly resembling him, pictured in a job recruiting ad printed on a McDonald's tray liner? No, that's not true: The McDonald's job recruiting tray liner is real, but the model in the original photo does not
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Video Clip Does NOT Show Victims From Hot Air Balloon Accident In Brazil — Different Ride In Initial Footage
Does the opening clip of a video with a screaming woman in a hot air balloon show footage from the accident in Brazil where an "entire family" was killed? No, that's not true: That clip shows Casey Cleaver during a different hot air ballo
PolitiFact→ David Jolly – Florida governor candidate David Jolly says the state is 49th in ‘avoidable’ hospital costs. Is it?
Florida is “49th in avoidable hospital costs.”
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Photo Does NOT Show Blue Tarp Covering Fence Around Washington, D.C., Reflecting Pool During Late June 2026
Does a real photo show a blue tarp covering fencing around the Reflecting Pool on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., in late June 2026? No, that's not true: Although the image's origin is unclear, it did not accurately represent condi
Full Fact→ Statistics watchdog challenges Badenoch over welfare claim after Full Fact intervention
The UK Statistics Authority has called on the Conservatives to “clarify” the inaccurate claim in their Alternative King’s Speech.
Full Fact→ Grimsby housing development homes aren’t ‘exclusively for immigrants’
Social media posts claiming that Lincolnshire Housing Partnership has bought £23 million worth of new houses on the Ferriby Fields estate in Grimsby exclusively for immigrants are completely false.
Full Fact→ Video shows explosions in China not Russian attack on Ukraine
An old video from China in 2015 has been circulating with claims it depicts an attack on Ukraine which killed President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. But this is false.
Full Fact→ More AI videos of small boat crossings circulate on Facebook
Videos viewed tens of thousands of times online claim to show migrants crossing the Channel or arriving in the UK via small boat. But these videos aren’t real and were made with Google’s AI tools.
PolitiFact→ At GlobalFact 2026, fact-checkers report challenges, resilience
At GlobalFact 2026, fact-checkers report challenges, resilience
PolitiFact→ Betsy Ross, Paul Revere and George Washington’s teeth: The real stories behind US history myths
Have you fallen for these 5 US history myths?
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: FAKE Video Of Hands Sticking Out Of The Ground Does NOT Show People Allegedly Buried Alive In Sudan
Does a real video show the hands of hundreds of people who were buried alive in Sudan? No, that's not true: The content detection tool at Hive Moderation determined the video was 81.6% likely to be AI-generated. A visual analysis by Lead
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: FAKE Video Shows Orthodox Priests Blessing Gas Station Pump — It Is AI-Generated
Is this a real video of Orthodox priests blessing a gas station pump? No, that's not true: An AI detection tool determined that the video was 100% "likely to be AI-generated" and does not appear to depict a genuine event. In addition, a v
PolitiFact→ Marsha Blackburn – Photo ID not required for Obama Presidential Center entry
The Obama Presidential Center is "requiring photo ID to enter."
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: FBI Did NOT Raid ‘Antifa’ Storage Unit, Find ‘Aggressive Algae’ — It’s From Satire Site
Did the FBI raid an "antifa" storage unit in Washington and find "aggressive algae" there? No, that's not true: The story originated on a Facebook page known for posting satirical content. The post on X removed the "Nothing on this page i
FactCheck.org→ How Trump’s Preliminary Deal with Iran Compares with His Rhetoric
President Donald Trump signed a preliminary agreement to end the war with Iran on June 17. The 14-point memorandum of understanding outlines the conditions under which the U.S. and Iran have initially agreed, and gives them 60 days to negotiate additi
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Video Does NOT Show Swedish Soccer Player Lucas Bergvall Saying ‘Please Stop Voting for Mass Migration’
Does a video show Swedish World Cup footballer Lucas Bergvall saying, "Please stop voting for mass migration"? No, that's not true: The quote attributed to him on social media does not match what Bergvall said in a video interview, nor wa
PolitiFact→ Susan Collins – Susan Collins says the SCOTUS abortion ruling didn't impact Maine. What do the facts show?
The Supreme Court’s 2022 ruling on abortion “has not had an impact on the state of Maine in that Maine actually expanded its law.”
Full Fact→ Incorrect name for crocodile attack arrest circulates online
Cambridgeshire Constabulary have not identified the person arrested, but say a name being shared on social media is not correct.
Full Fact→ The Brexit vote 10 years on: your questions answered
A decade on from the referendum, we look at what’s happened to the economy, immigration and that £350 million pledge.