Politics

Does a video show a guard in Morocco opening a border fence located at Ceuta, a Spanish territory, in July 2026? No, that's not true: The footage was posted online in 2021. According to a Spanish police union, it does show Moroccan people crossing into Ceuta. The claim appeared in a post by @alberto_hispanista on Instagram on July 31, 2026…

Does a screenshot show a post made by a real California congressman, Jack Kimble, that includes an AI-generated image of an idealized American family? No, that's not true: Kimble is a fictional satirical politician, not a real congressman from California. His X account does not have a clearly stated satire disclaimer, but clues are offered in the account's bio. A…

Did Karoline Leavitt say, "It's hard for President Trump to make key decisions on Iran when he doesn't have enough intelligence"? No, that's not true: The White House press secretary never remarked that Trump "doesn't have enough intelligence." The fake quote was published by a humorist on social media. There are no records of her making the comment on the…

Does a video show a migrant crisis in Ceuta, Spain? No, that's not true: The clip was uploaded to social media weeks earlier. Two online AI detectors suggested the presence of generative AI. The claim appeared in a post (archived here and here) published on Facebook on July 30, 2026. It opened: Is this an invasion of Spain? This is…

Did WNBA star Sophie Cunningham say LeBron James "doesn't have the correct genitalia" to discuss transgender women in sports? No, that's not true: The claim originated on a Facebook page known for posting satirical content that carries the disclaimer, "Nothing on this page is real." The image in the original post also bears the same warning label. Lead Stories found…

Did President Donald Trump post an O.J. Simpson meme showing former President Barack Obama and first lady Melania Trump riding in the white Bronco together? No, that's not true: Trump posted a meme in 2025 on his Truth Social account showing himself in a police car chasing Obama in Simpson's white Bronco with Vice President J.D. Vance in another police…

Does a real photo show an army officer with the "nuclear football" chained to what is described on social media as a "diaper bag" carried by Trump aide Natalie Harp? No, that's not true: The original photo didn't display an army officer or the briefcase allowing access to the nuclear arsenal. The image was digitally altered by AI. The claim…

Did MS NOW host Rachel Maddow broadcast a transcript of a call between former Attorney General Pam Bondi and President Donald Trump? No, that's not true: There is no evidence that Bondi and Trump were ever recorded having such a call, nor is there any evidence that Maddow broadcast a transcript of one. In addition, an AI detection tool concluded…

Does a real video or screenshot show President Donald Trump slumped over asleep at the White House Correspondents' Dinner with his mouth hanging open? No, that's not true: A deepfake video appears to be based on real footage from the dinner but has been altered to make Trump appear to fight sleep in an over-the-top, absurdist way. The video was…

Does a viral video show Elon Musk walking together with his family and talking with his children? No, that's not true: A real photo from 2025 was used to generate the AI video. Other than the one source photo, the rest of the scene was imagined by AI. The video has an obvious glitch. It begins with a group of…

Did Donald Trump post an image of himself with John F. Kennedy, Mahatma Gandhi, and Jesus Christ on his Truth Social account? No, that's not true: The image, which appears to mimic a Truth Social post, did not originate with Trump. Instead, it first appeared on a social media account known for posting satirical content. A review of Trump's Truth…

Does a video show U.S. Sen. John Fetterman being arrested after pulling a gun on a person in a car? No, that's not true: The man seen in the clip is not the senator from Pennsylvania but a man in Des Moines, Iowa. According to reports, Des Moines police identified him as Bradley James Ratkovich, who was charged with assault…

Does an image comparison show a real Getty photo of Donald Trump next to a White House-edited version giving him smooth skin? No, that's not true: Both photos are edited, and neither can be attributed to those two sources. Reuters published the original image, which does not look like either of the edited images. The claim appeared in a post…

Did the BBC report that Ukraine's First Lady Olena Zelenska was spotted wearing a pendant stolen from France's Lalique Museum? No, that's not true: The BBC denied ever publishing such a report. The video was doctored to digitally add the jewelry item to Zelenska's neck. The claim appeared in a post (archived here and here) published on X by @its_The_Dr…

Did the Federal Communications Commission fine NBC and ABC $25 million each for not carrying President Trump's July 16, 2026, speech and fine CBS $10 million for not airing it in full? No, that's not true: There is no evidence that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has imposed or threatened to impose fines on these three broadcast networks. Both the…

Does a viral clip document a recent real-life scene of U.S. President Donald Trump falling while trying to get into a limo? No, that's not true: The video showed signs of AI generation, and no credible media outlet reported the alleged incident. Among the most viral versions of the claim were posts from self-described humor accounts. The claim appeared in…

Is a video showing an Iranian ballistic missile attack on a U.S. aircraft carrier real? No, that's not true: There is no evidence that Iran hit a U.S. aircraft carrier with ballistic missiles, and no credible news organizations had reported such an incident as of July 24, 2026. Plus, an online AI detection tool concluded that the video was very…

Is a photo of Donald Trump showing him with heavy facial wrinkles, pale skin and sweat authentic? No, that's not true: The image has been altered to exaggerate facial wrinkles and to add bumps to his skin. The alteration has also lightened parts of his face. The original photo published by a news outlet does not show the same skin…

Did Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu endorse Rep. Haley Stevens, a Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate from Michigan, and call her "a true friend of Israel"? No, that's not true: There is no evidence that Netanyahu made such an endorsement or statement, and Stevens' campaign called the claim "false." No credible news outlets have reported that Netanyahu endorsed her…

Is a video showing a transgender Florida student fake, AI-generated, or staged? No, that's not true: The footage is body camera video from the University of Central Florida Police Department. The incident occurred in February 2025 and involved then-student Jarrett Vick, who was upset about how police used pronouns when referring to them during an encounter that resulted in their…