In speeches in Nevada and Arizona, former President Donald Trump continued to spread misinformation that undermines public confidence in state and federal elections.
Trump Spreads Election Misinformation in Key States
Israel Will Participate in Olympic Games in Paris, Contrary to Threads Post
Israel will send a delegation of about 85 athletes to the Olympic Games in Paris in July. Protesters opposed to the war in Gaza have called for limited participation by the Israelis, and a post on Threads falsely claimed Israel is “out” of the Games. The International Olympic Committee has said Israeli athletes will be allowed to compete.
Posts Misrepresent Ruling on COVID-19 School Mandate Lawsuit
A federal appeals court has revived a lawsuit against the Los Angeles Unified School District for its now-rescinded COVID-19 vaccine requirement. The court said the case should be allowed to develop beyond the preliminary arguments. But anti-vaccination activists have twisted the opinion to falsely claim the court had “declared that the mRNA covid jab is NOT a vaccine.”
FactChecking Trump’s Immigration-Related Claims in Phoenix and Las Vegas
Former President Donald Trump has made illegal immigration and its impact on the U.S. a focus of his campaign – but several of his talking points are wrong or misleading. Here’s what we found among his immigration claims at recent events in the electoral swing states of Arizona and Nevada.
Posts Misrepresent Old Video of Missile Test as Russian Ships Visit Cuba
Russian warships conducted simulated military exercises on their way to Cuba in June. But social media posts share clips from a 2018 Russian video of missile tests in the White Sea to claim the warships fired live missiles “off the coast of Florida” before arriving in Havana. A Department of Defense spokesperson said the claim is “not true.”
Crime Drop in Venezuela Does Not Prove Trump’s Claim the Country Is Sending Criminals to U.S.
In virtually all of his recent speeches, former President Donald Trump has been citing a reported drop in crime in Venezuela as evidence that the economically and politically beleaguered country is sending its criminals to the U.S. Experts in and out of Venezuela told us there is no evidence to back up Trump’s claim.
Posts Make Unsupported Claim About Kansas City Chiefs and Pride Month
The Kansas City Chiefs offer a “Pride Collection” of merchandise for the team’s LGBTQ+ fans. But social media posts are making the unsupported claim that the team “Refuses to Participate in Pride Month” this year. The claim apparently originated in a satirical article, and we could find no announcement from the team regarding this year’s Pride Month.
Q&A on Biden’s Border Order
On June 4, President Joe Biden announced new measures to restrict asylum eligibility for those apprehended while trying to enter the U.S. illegally across the southern border. Here, we answer several questions about Biden’s action.
Meme Spreads Unsupported Claim About Net Worth of Alvin Bragg
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg announced the conviction of former President Donald Trump on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records on May 30. Now Bragg has become the target of viral social media posts that claim, without evidence, that he has a net worth of $42 million or more and baselessly imply that Bragg is corrupt.
Antarctic Ice Loss Is Significant, Contrary to Claims
Antarctica is losing ice mass to the ocean, contributing to global sea level rise. But a popular video misrepresented work focused on Antarctic ice shelves — which float in the sea at the edges of the continent — to incorrectly suggest that “it is unclear if Antarctica is losing any ice on balance.”