The first of the back-to-back Democratic debates in July included spin from the candidates on gun violence, Republican tax cuts, climate change, manufacturing jobs and more.
FactChecking the Second Democratic Debate
Stories by Jessica McDonald
SciCheck Editor
When Are Heartbeats Audible During Pregnancy?
Q: When is the human heart fully developed, and when are heartbeats audible during pregnancy?
A: A developing heart has all of its primary structures after about nine weeks of pregnancy. Some forms of ultrasound can detect cardiac activity in an embryo in the sixth week, but a heartbeat wouldn’t be audible until about 10 weeks on a Doppler fetal monitor.
FactChecking the Mueller Hearings
While former special counsel Robert S. Mueller reiterated in congressional testimony what he said in his voluminous report on the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential campaign, politicians reiterated some claims about the inquiry and its findings.
Unpacking Biden’s and Trump’s Big Cancer Promises
On the campaign trail, former Vice President Joe Biden and President Donald Trump have both claimed that a cure to cancer would soon become a reality — if they were elected in 2020. Experts, however, don’t share that degree of optimism.
Does Wind ‘Work’ Without Subsidies?
President Donald Trump has repeatedly questioned the economics of wind energy, saying that wind “doesn’t work” without subsidies. Experts have differing assessments of that. By some metrics, wind power is already competitive with fossil fuels without subsidies. But other measures don’t come to the same conclusion.
Trump Twists Facts in Environmental Speech
In a July 8 speech dedicated to the environment, President Donald Trump made a series of misleading or false statements as he played up the U.S.’s environmental achievements, many of which predate his time as commander-in-chief.
FactChecking Round Two of the Democratic Debate
The second of a two-part debate offered a new crop of spin.
FactChecking the First 2020 Democratic Debate
We found some factual distortions in the first debate round of the two-night affair.
Trump’s Campaign Kickoff Claims
In launching his reelection campaign, President Donald Trump said, “Nobody’s done what we have done in two and a half years.” However, we found his speech was filled with familiar false, misleading and exaggerated statements about his record on jobs, military spending, veterans, energy and more.
Trump Bungles Climate Change in UK
During a trip to the United Kingdom, President Donald Trump once again expressed skepticism about climate change, making several false or misleading statements in a television interview on “Good Morning Britain” with host Piers Morgan.