Despite some MAGA sniping, the entrepreneur continues to wield lots of influence.
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Whoopi Goldberg, Megan Rapinoe And Taylor Swift Did NOT Decide To Leave US After Trump’s Election
Did Whoopi Goldberg, Megan Rapinoe and Taylor Swift announce they were leaving the United States, presumably after Donald Trump's return as president? No, that's not true: The article cited in the comments of a social media post making th
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Musk Did NOT Publicly Donate $10 Million To Help J6 Families ‘Jump-Start Their Lives’ As Of January 28, 2025
Did Elon Musk publicly donate $10 million to help the families of January 6 participants "jump-start their lives," as a post on Facebook claimed? No, that's not true: The post was published by a page affiliated with America's Last Line of
PolitiFact→ Facebook posts – No, Trump didn’t expand conceal carry reciprocity, though he’s promised to sign legislation doing so
“President Trump just announced full nationwide concealed carry reciprocity.”
PolitiFact→ School meals? Cancer trials? What we know about Trump’s federal funding freeze
The Trump administration caused confusion when it ordered federal agencies to temporarily pause all grants, loans and financial aid until officials decide whether they are consistent with the administration's policies. Here’s what we know.
The Dispatch→ Money Talks
Impoundment and the discretionary presidency.
PolitiFact→ Viral image – This isn’t an authentic Truth Social post from Donald Trump responding to Selena Gomez
Image shows President Donald Trump’s response “to Selena Gomez’ meltdown.”
PolitiFact→ Images comparing Democrats to Musk’s inauguration hand gesture don’t tell whole story
In defending Elon Musk’s gesture during President Donald Trump’s inauguration, some social media posts drew comparisons to images of Democrats and celebrities holding their hands at similar angles. The photos don’t tell the whole story.
PolitiFact→ Threads posts – No, the Fraternal Order of Police didn’t rescind its endorsement of President Donald Trump
“The Fraternal Order of Police, the largest police union in the country, just released a statement rescinding their endorsement of President Trump.”
PolitiFact→ Viral image – Story about purported cop killer Ryan Edward is bait in a scam
“Serial killer Ryan Edward … is on the run after killing 3 female police officers.”
PolitiFact→ Did Trump find 75,000 to 80,000 missing children? Here’s why experts say that claim is misleading.
Fox News host Harris Faulkner said President Donald Trump’s administration found 75,000 to 80,000 of 300,000 missing migrant children. Experts said describing those children as missing in the first place is misleading.
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Image Showing Canada’s Mark Carney With Jeffrey Epstein In Pool Is NOT Authentic — Likely AI Creation
Does an authentic photo show Canadian Liberal Party leadership candidate Mark Carney with Jeffrey Epstein in a pool? No, that's not true: Multiple online artificial intelligence detectors judged that this image was almost certainly AI gen
FactCheck.org→ Trump Order Didn’t Reverse All of Biden’s Measures to Lower Drug Costs
Este artículo estará disponible en español en El Tiempo Latino. Quick Take President Donald Trump rescinded an executive order issued by former President Joe Biden aimed at finding new models for lowering drug costs. Trump’s action didn
The Dispatch→ Yes, a GOP Representative Introduced a Constitutional Amendment to Let Trump Run Again
The resolution would have to pass Congress, then be ratified by 38 states.
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Hurricane Helene Survivor Did NOT Get Apartment Under Trump — It Was Biden
Did a North Carolina hurricane survivor seen admiring her new apartment in a widely shared video move in after President Donald Trump's return to the White House? No, that's not true: The woman moved in on January 9, 2025, two weeks befor
FactCheck.org→ Illegal Immigration and Fentanyl at the U.S. Northern and Southwest Borders
Este artículo estará disponible en español en El Tiempo Latino. In recent remarks to the press, President Donald Trump restated his intention to impose 25% tariffs on U.S. imports from Mexico and Canada as early as Feb. 1. His reasoning: “
PolitiFact→ Instagram posts – No, Elon Musk hasn’t vowed to acquire MSNBC and fire Joy Reid
“Elon Musk confirms he will spend a massive amount to acquire MSNBC, vows to fire Joy Reid to ‘end toxicity.’”
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Video Does NOT Prove Airline Pilot Referred To ‘Gulf Of America’
Does a video clip posted on social media prove that an airline pilot made an in-flight announcement referring to the "Gulf of America"? No, that's not true: The video provides no proof that what appears to be an airplane cabin is in an ai
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: NO Evidence Trump Called Selena Gomez ‘Third Amigo’ In Truth Social Post
Did President Donald Trump call actress Selena Gomez "the third amigo" in a Truth Social post? No, that's not true: There was no such post on the social media platform Truth Social. A search of Google News brought up no news reports confi
PolitiFact→ How do U.S. deportation flights work, what happens when countries refuse to accept them?
In the past few days, a crucial part of Donald Trump’s promise to carry out mass deportations — the deportations — have faced hurdles. We examined how deportation flights work and what happens when countries don’t accept deported migrants.
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Article Does NOT Prove WEF ‘Demanded’ That General Public Get ‘Mass-Vaccinated’ Twice A Year With mRNA
Does an article prove that the World Economic Forum "demanded" that the general public be "mass-vaccinated" twice a year with "long-acting mRNA injections"? No, that's not true: The organization told Lead Stories this was "entirely false.
The Dispatch→ No, Trump Did Not Repeal Insulin Price Cap for Medicare Recipients
The $35 monthly cap was enacted by federal legislation and cannot be undone via executive order.
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Elon Musk’s Name IS Listed On Patents Along With Other Inventors
Does Elon Musk not "do" patents as claimed in a Facebook post by NeuroVigil chairman and CEO Philip Low? No, that's not true in at least several documented cases: a search of the U.S. patent office website showed 14 patent documents with
Full Fact→ Amazon is not giving away iPads to over-50s in partnership with Age UK
A Facebook post making this claim includes a link to a webpage that includes the Amazon logo and asks for personal information and payment details, but is not actually related to the company.
PolitiFact→ Common Cause – Yes, Wisconsin makes it harder to vote than most other U.S. states
Wisconsin makes it more difficult for its citizens to vote than almost any state in the nation.
Full Fact→ Facebook warnings about dangerous couple are fake
Posts shared to local buy and sell groups falsely claim the couple are on the run in various locations across the UK, after killing three female police officers.
Lead Stories→ Lead Stories Awarded $100,000 ENGAGE Grant To Build Fact Check Labeling Service for Bluesky
Colorado Springs, Colo. - Lead Stories is proud to announce we won a $100,000 ENGAGE grant from the IFCN's Global Fact Check Fund for our project proposal to build a fact check labeling service on the Bluesky social network. The project
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: California Denies US Troops Entered California To Turn On Water — Says Federal Government Restarted Federal Water Pumps
Did U.S. troops enter California under "emergency powers" from President Donald Trump to turn on water from the Pacific Northwest, in January 2025? No, that's not true according to state authorities: The U.S. military did not enter the st
The Dispatch→ Will Trump Bring Russia and Ukraine to the Table?
Russia is making slow but costly gains as the U.S. president vows to meet with Vladimir Putin ‘soon.’
The Dispatch→ Officer-Created Danger
Plus: Anti-evil talismans are en vogue.
The Dispatch→ Baseless SLAPP Suits Threaten the Speech Rights of all Americans
Why FIRE is defending Iowa pollster J. Ann Selzer against Donald Trump.
The Dispatch→ Why Tulsi Gabbard’s Confirmation Hearing Actually Matters
A president’s Cabinet picks usually sail through. This one may not.
The Dispatch→ Colombia, Tariffs, and Deportation Flights, Explained
Why the South American ally drew Donald Trump’s wrath.
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: NO Evidence Of Headline Saying ‘Why Didn’t The Unvaccinated Do More To Warn Us’ — And NO Evidence Of Any Such Article
Is there an authentic article with a headline that reads, "They knew: why didn't the unvaccinated do more to warn us?" No, that's not true: There is no evidence that an article with this headline was ever actually published on a website.
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Social Media Posts Do NOT Accurately Represent Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine Side Effects As Of January 2025
Do social media posts share the real side effects of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine as of January 2025? No, that's not true: The post lists 'adverse events of special interest' that researchers are required to report if they happen during drug
The Dispatch→ Moving Beyond Guilt
Elon Musk and the politics of shame.
PolitiFact→ Threads posts – No, this proposed constitutional amendment wouldn’t give former President Barack Obama a third term
A proposed constitutional amendment “would allow anyone to run for a 3rd term. Including — Barack Obama.”
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Trump Did NOT Redirect $2 Billion From ‘Welfare For Illegals’ To NC As Of January 27, 2025 — Originated On Satirical Site
Did President Trump redirect $2 billion meant for welfare programs for undocumented immigrants to the residents of North Carolina during the first week of his second term in 2025? No, that's not true: This claim is from a self-described s
PolitiFact→ Facebook posts – No, Michael Jordan did not call for a ban on pride flags in sports and schools
“BREAKING NEWS: Michael Jordan calls for ban on pride flag in sports and US school system.”
PolitiFact→ Facebook posts – No, Trump didn’t sign an executive order to eliminate income taxes
President Donald Trump signed an executive order to replace the IRS with the External Revenue Service, eliminating tax returns and income tax.