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A Project of The Annenberg Public Policy Center

Biden Officials Have Taken Oaths of Office, Contrary to Social Media Claim

Biden Officials Have Taken Oaths of Office, Contrary to Social Media Claim

Officials serving in President Joe Biden’s administration have taken their oaths of office, and most can be seen in videos from their swearing-in ceremonies. But a video circulating on social media falsely suggests that they haven’t been sworn in and are “acting as elected officials without swearing an allegiance to the Constitution.”

Trump’s Dubious Promise to End Birthright Citizenship

Trump’s Dubious Promise to End Birthright Citizenship

Former President Donald Trump misleadingly said that “under Biden’s current policies” children born to parents in the country illegally automatically become citizens. That’s not a Biden policy, but rather it has been the standing interpretation of the 14th Amendment going back more than 100 years, including under Trump.

Ventilators Save Lives, Did Not Cause ‘Nearly All’ COVID-19 Deaths

Ventilators Save Lives, Did Not Cause ‘Nearly All’ COVID-19 Deaths

Ventilators can be lifesaving for critically ill COVID-19 patients. A social media claim that a new study shows ventilators killed “nearly all” COVID-19 patients is “quite wrong,” according to the study’s co-author. Ventilator-associated complications can contribute to deaths, but patients are typically put on ventilators when they would otherwise die.

Post Misrepresents Legal Power of Arizona Resolution on Electronic Voting Machines

Post Misrepresents Legal Power of Arizona Resolution on Electronic Voting Machines

The Republican majority leader of the Arizona Senate informed county election officials that a Senate resolution essentially bars electronic voting systems in the state. The state’s Democratic secretary of state and attorney general say the resolution carries no legal weight. Nonetheless, based on the resolution, a Facebook post misleadingly claimed the state “has banned electronic voting machines.”

Database Errors Fuel False Claims about HIV Cases in Military

Database Errors Fuel False Claims about HIV Cases in Military

The rate of new HIV infections in the military has been relatively unchanged since 2017. But social media posts falsely claim that the military has recorded a “500% increase in HIV since the COVID vaccine rollout.” A Defense Department spokesperson said errors in a military database sparked the inaccurate claim.

Debt Limit Agreement Breakdown

Debt Limit Agreement Breakdown

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and President Joe Biden brokered a two-year agreement to suspend the debt ceiling, but it needs quick congressional approval before the federal government runs out of money. We’ll explain the main provisions of the bill that would cut, and increase, federal spending.

CNN Says Future Town Halls Will Include Live Audiences, Contrary to Online Posts

CNN Says Future Town Halls Will Include Live Audiences, Contrary to Online Posts

CNN was criticized by some for hosting a town hall with Donald Trump and a live audience that expressed strong support for the former president. Online posts now wrongly claim CNN will have “no more live audiences at town halls.” CNN said the claim is “fabricated” and plans a live audience at a town hall with Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley in June.

FactChecking Tim Scott’s Presidential Campaign Announcement

FactChecking Tim Scott’s Presidential Campaign Announcement

Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina announced on May 22 that he will seek the Republican nomination for president in 2024. We reviewed his speech — and an exclusive NBC News interview he did shortly after — and found that he made a few claims that were false, misleading or lacked important context.