In a campaign-style rally in Pennsylvania on Dec. 9, President Donald Trump honed a message of “lower prices, bigger paychecks” ahead of next year’s midterm elections. Some of his talking points on the economy missed the mark. T
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: House Democrats Did NOT Release Never-Before-Seen Photos Of Jeffrey Epstein With Little Girl In Green Skirt Also Photographed Bound And Gagged– Images Are Edited Fakes
Did House Democrats release photos showing Jeffrey Epstein with a girl in a green skirt who also appears bound and gagged in another image? No, that's not true: These images have both been digitally edited. The original image of Epstein f
PolitiFact→ Elise Stefanik – Hochul has extended higher taxes on wealthy individuals, corporations
Gov. Kathy Hochul has raised taxes.
The Dispatch→ Dispatch Politics Roundup: Is Congress Heading Toward Another Government Shutdown?
Your weekly roundup from Washington, D.C.
The Dispatch→ Booming AI Demand Collides With the Grid
When our power systems struggle to keep pace with the digital economy.
FactCheck.org→ Trump Confirms His Disparaging Remark About ‘Shithole Countries’ at Immigration Meeting
Nearly eight years ago, President Donald Trump denied using the word “shitholes” to describe African countries during an Oval Office meeting on immigration. But now he has fessed up. In a speech Tuesday night in Penns
PolitiFact→ Health care consolidation and rising costs happen, but Obamacare is not the key culprit
Obamacare is not key driver of health care consolidation
Full Fact→ Toby Carvery CEO isn’t giving away free meals to people who comment on Facebook posts
Despite claims being shared on social media, Toby Carvery has confirmed it is not giving away free carveries for two to those who like and comment on certain Facebook posts.
Full Fact→ How has the number of teachers changed under Labour?
The Prime Minister claimed the number of teachers has increased since the election, while the Conservatives have claimed there are 400 fewer.
Full Fact→ Figures don’t show 110,000 young Brits have left the UK since June
A post on Facebook incorrectly claims that 110,000 British nationals aged 16-34 have left the UK “since June of this year”.
Full Fact→ How should we discuss risk vs benefit in the context of vaccination?
Guest comment piece from Professor Dame Sarah Gilbert and Sean Elias
The Dispatch→ Trump’s Pardon Spree
From January 6 defendants to foreign leaders, this White House has been uniquely willing to grant clemency requests.
The Dispatch→ The Illusion of Campaign Finance Reform
The word of the day is ‘prophylactic.’
The Dispatch→ The Iconoclasts vs. Public Health
The CDC’s vaccine advisory panel takes full aim at the childhood vaccine schedule.
The Dispatch→ The Flag Deserves Better Than Protection
Outlawing flag burning would undermine the banner’s very meaning.
The Dispatch→ On Obamacare, Republicans Negotiate Their Terms of Surrender
The GOP seems willing to provide more federal funds for the Affordable Care Act beneficiaries, but wants to spend less and not fund abortion.
The Dispatch→ Democrats Are Thrilled That Trump Will Hit the Midterms Trail
The president tried the same strategy in 2018, and the GOP lost the House.
The Dispatch→ Flag Burning Is Legal. It Shouldn’t Be.
People who desecrate the American flag have no interest in freedom of speech.
The Dispatch→ The Crockett Disaster
The resistance prepares to forfeit a Senate majority.
The Dispatch→ Cocaine Is Not Mustard Gas
There's a reason presidents need authorization from Congress to launch a war.
The Dispatch→ The $140,000 ‘Poverty Line’ Is Laughably Wrong, So Why Does It Feel Right?
Blame it on psychology, economics, and the ‘hedonic treadmill.’
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Kristi Noem Did NOT Say, "Calling ICE Agents Nazis Is Rude And Inaccurate" On Fox News — Fake Screenshot From a Satire Account
Did Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem say on Fox News that calling ICE agents Nazis is rude and inaccurate because they don't wear uniforms? No, that's not true: A fabricated Fox News screenshot with that quote had the watermark of
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Donald Trump Did NOT Say Cosmetic Surgeries Preclude People From Receiving Government Assistance Starting From March 2026
Did Donald Trump announce that people who had cosmetic surgeries would no longer be eligible for any form of government assistance starting in March 2026? No, that's not true:There were no news stories about any such announcement from Tru
PolitiFact→ Fact-checking Donald Trump’s statements on the economy in insult-laden Pennsylvania speech
Fact-check: Donald Trump’s PA speech on the economy
AllSides→ Probing Trump’s Verbal Attack on Somalis
Probing Trump's Verbal Attack on Somalis jbhicks Wed, 12/10/2025 - 06:45 Read more about Probing Trump's Verbal Attack on Somalis In a disparaging attack on Somalia in which he said he didn't want people of Somali descent in the
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Trevor Noah Did NOT Tell Pete Hegseth He Was The Reason The Song ‘Just Give Me A Reason’ Was Written
Did comedian Trevor Noah tell Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth in response to his request that a band play "Just Give Me a Reason" that he was "the reason it had to be written." No, that's not true: The story was manufactured by a spam f
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Barack Obama Did NOT Announce ‘Potential Comeback’ To The White House
Did Barack Obama say that he wants to return to the White House in 2028 as president through "legal avenues" or as a "proxy candidate"? No, that's not true: Contrary to the posts citing his "exclusive interview on a major news network" on
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Scientists Have NOT Proved Camel Tears Are An Antidote For Venomous Snakebites
Have scientists discovered a camel tear contains enough antibodies to neutralize the venom from 26 snakebites? No, that highly specific claim is not true: While poison experts have found snakebite damage to mouse tissues might be reduced
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: White House Did NOT Call Martin Luther King Jr’s Birthday, Juneteenth ‘Made Up Holidays’ — Satire Account
Did the White House call Martin Luther King Jr's birthday and Juneteenth "made up holidays?" No, that's not true: A parody account posted the meme that mimicked the format and design of White House message. The administration did remove M
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Melania Did NOT Glare At Donald Trump When He Chatted With Mexico’s Claudia Sheinbaum At FIFA World Cup Draw — Real Video Was Altered
Did Melania Trump glare at Donald Trump when he chatted with Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum at the FIFA World Cup Final Draw? No, that's not true: The footage showing Melania looking annoyed is not real and has been edited. Donald T
PolitiFact→ Donald Trump – Trump says the US secured at least $18 trillion worth of investments this year. That’s wrong
The U.S. has received promises of investments totaling $18 trillion to $22 trillion since January.
The Dispatch→ Exporting the Revolution
America’s new foreign policy is still based on ‘values.’
FactCheck.org→ Probing Trump’s Verbal Attack on Somalis
In a disparaging attack on Somalia in which he said he didn’t want people of Somali descent in the United States, President Donald Trump said Somalis “ripped off” Minnesota “every year” for “billions of dollars,” an apparent
Lead Stories→ IFCN Statement On U.S. Visa Restrictions Targeting Fact-checkers
New visa directives wrongly conflate journalism with censorship The International Fact-Checking Network is deeply concerned by reports that the U.S. State Department has instructed consular officers to deny visas to individuals who have w
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: The U.S. Did NOT Send $45 Million In Cash To The Taliban In Afghanistan On December 8, 2025 — Old Photo Used
Did the United States send $45 million in freshly-printed cash to the Taliban in Afghanistan on a chartered flight on December 8, 2025? No, that's not true: The photo used to make the claim was published in 2023 in a report about United N
Full Fact→ The government won’t be taking £90 from people’s payslips to tackle the national debt
Videos widely shared online claim that workers will see a £90 “debt recovery contribution” on their payslips from January 2026. But this isn’t true.
Full Fact→ John Lewis isn’t giving away expensive cast iron pots for £10
A Facebook post suggesting John Lewis is giving away Staub cast iron pots for low prices to over-50s isn’t genuine.
AllSides→ Vance’s Misleading Claims on Housing Prices and Illegal Immigration
Vance's Misleading Claims on Housing Prices and Illegal Immigration jbhicks Tue, 12/09/2025 - 06:35 Read more about Vance's Misleading Claims on Housing Prices and Illegal Immigration Vice President JD Vance has exaggerated the i
The Dispatch→ The Obamacare Subsidy Conundrum
Enhanced ACA subsidies expire December 31, but Republicans can't agree on an alternative.
The Dispatch→ Court Seems Likely To Side With Trump on President’s Power To Fire FTC Commissioner
The case could have sweeping ramifications for presidential power over independent agencies.