On Sept. 26 and 27, President Donald Trump spoke for about two hours and 15 minutes in five appearances. We’ve compiled many of the president’s false and misleading claims from those remarks.
FactChecking Trump’s Weekend Claims
Issues: coronavirus
Trump Has Not Been ‘Clear’ in Support of Masks
Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar says President Trump has been “clear” in calling for the public to “wear face coverings when you can’t social distance.” The official messaging from the White House has been clear. The president’s statements have been anything but.
Trump Misleads on Reasons for Falling COVID-19 Fatality Rate
For nearly two months, President Trump has touted an 85% decline in the nation’s COVID-19 case fatality rate since April — and has attributed the drop to improvements in treatment. But better treatment is only part of the story.
Nearly 10,000 COVID-19 Victims Died at Home
Viral social media posts falsely claim that no one has died at home from COVID-19, implying that poor medical care contributed to the deaths or that the disease is a hoax. Nearly 10,000 coronavirus victims have died in their homes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Biden’s Early Statements About the Coronavirus
President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden have made competing claims about Biden’s early statements on the coronavirus.
FactChecking Biden’s Town Hall
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden answered questions from the public in a CNN town hall, but he got some facts wrong and misled on others.
Trump Again Overstates Speed of COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout
Contradicting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director and other government officials, President Donald Trump incorrectly said in a press briefing that a coronavirus vaccine would be “immediately” available to the general public after an authorization.
Report Resurrects Baseless Claim that Coronavirus Was Bioengineered
A paper that has not been peer-reviewed reaches faulty conclusions to advance the unsubstantiated claim that the novel coronavirus was bioengineered in a Chinese lab, according to immunology and microbiology experts. The paper’s claims were amplified by Fox News, anyway.
Trump Reprises Inaccurate COVID-19 Comparisons with Europe
In a series of recent appearances, President Donald Trump continued to wrongly insist that the U.S. compares favorably with Europe on both coronavirus cases and deaths.
Viral Post Falsely Attributed to Golfer Bubba Watson
A viral post falsely attributed to PGA star Bubba Watson criticizes the Black Lives Matter movement and measures taken to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Watson has said the post “ain’t from me.”