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A Project of The Annenberg Public Policy Center

Trumped Up Headlines Distort Old Story

Trumped Up Headlines Distort Old Story

Q: Did The New York Times say in 1984 that Donald Trump would be “our best president”?

A: No. That year The New York Times published a magazine story featuring Trump’s early success as a businessman, not his political potential.

Partisan Websites Spin Mexican Campaign Rhetoric

Partisan Websites Spin Mexican Campaign Rhetoric

Q: Did the front-runner in the presidential race in Mexico call for an “invasion” of migrants to the U.S.?

A: No. Andrés Manuel López Obrador pledged to “defend migrants … who of necessity have to leave their villages.”

Clare Bronfman, Part of NXIVM, Not a Clinton Aide

Clare Bronfman, Part of NXIVM, Not a Clinton Aide

Q: Was Clare Bronfman an aide to Hillary Clinton — and was she indicted for child sex trafficking?

A: No. A false story is based on speculation that Bronfman could be indicted in relation to an alleged sex cult. But she never worked for Clinton.

Fake Sandra Bullock Quote About Trump

Fake Sandra Bullock Quote About Trump

Q: Did Sandra Bullock say, “Donald Trump is doing everything to improve our nation”?

A: No. There is no record of the actress ever making that comment, and her publicist says Bullock never said that.

Sanders Didn’t Call Christianity Insulting

Sanders Didn’t Call Christianity Insulting

Q: Did Sen. Bernie Sanders say that Christianity is an insult to Muslims?

A: He didn’t say that. He criticized a statement made by a presidential nominee as Islamophobic.

Rhode Island Tax Returns Bill Didn’t Pass

Rhode Island Tax Returns Bill Didn’t Pass

Q: Did Rhode Island pass a bill “to keep Trump off the 2020 ballot”?

A: No. Only one chamber passed a bill to require presidential candidates to disclose their federal tax returns.

Conspiracy Theory Follows Call For ‘Space Force’

Conspiracy Theory Follows Call For ‘Space Force’

Q: Did President Donald Trump call for the creation of a “space force” to fight off an “alien attack”?

A: No. The president did request exploration of a “space force,” but it is unrelated to extraterrestrial activity.

Trump Didn’t Fire Muslim Judge

Trump Didn’t Fire Muslim Judge

Q: Did President Trump fire Judge Salam al Alsawatha Malallahafa?

A: No. The claim originated on a satire website.

Partisan Website Recycles Old Charges

Partisan Website Recycles Old Charges

Q: Has the “head” of the Democratic Party been “hauled out in handcuffs”?

A: No. A partisan website has used decade-old charges against an Alabama Democrat as clickbait.