Our annual roundup of the worst falsehoods of the year.
Whoppers of 2024
Person: Kamala Harris
Trump Won the Popular Vote, Contrary to Claims Online
President-elect Donald Trump is the first Republican presidential candidate to win the popular vote in 20 years. Social media users have wrongly claimed that Trump lost the popular vote, but they are confusing the popular vote with a majority of votes. The unofficial results show Trump received slightly less than a majority, but more votes than any candidate.
Post Misleadingly Questions Unfinished Ballot Counting in Some States
Some states were still counting ballots weeks after Election Day in accordance with their regulations, state officials and an election law expert said. But an Instagram post misleadingly implied that the ongoing vote counts were evidence of some unspecified election malfeasance.
Musk’s Starlink Was Not Connected to Vote Tabulation, Contrary to Online Claims
Elon Musk’s Starlink system helped provide internet access to communities affected by the recent hurricanes. But online posts spread baseless claims that Starlink “uploaded votes in swing states” and helped Donald Trump win the election. Experts said voting machines are not connected to the internet during tabulation; one state election official called the claims “utter garbage.”
No Evidence Harris Campaign Paid for Celebrity Endorsements
Vice President Kamala Harris received many celebrity endorsements leading up to the election, including from Beyoncé, Oprah Winfrey, Eminem, Megan Thee Stallion and Lizzo. Social media posts have made the unfounded claim that these celebrities were collectively paid $20 million for their endorsements. We’ve found no evidence to support the claim.
Posts Falsely Claim CBS News Reported ‘Cheating’ in Election
Some social media posts falsely claimed that CBS News reported there was “cheating” in the 2024 presidential election that benefitted President-elect Donald Trump. We found no evidence of such a report, and a CBS News spokesperson said the outlet “did not report or say there was cheating in the election.”
Election Night Expectations
It is possible, even likely, that we will not have a projected winner of the presidential race on Nov. 5 – Election Day. And that doesn’t mean there’s something nefarious going on with the vote-counting.
Video Shows ‘Voter Error,’ Not ‘Election Interference’ in Kentucky
A video showing a Laurel County, Kentucky, voter having difficulty marking a ballot for former President Donald Trump was investigated and found to be an “isolated incident” of “voter error,” a spokesperson for the secretary of state said. Social media posts baselessly claimed it was an example of “election interference.”
Trump’s ‘Like It or Not’ Comment and Harris’ Response
Vice President Kamala Harris wrongly claimed that former President Donald Trump was talking about “reproductive freedom” when he said that he will “protect” women “whether the women like it or not.” Trump was talking about illegal immigration — but, in doing so, he made his own unsupported claims about criminals from prisons and “insane asylums” being “imported” into the country.
Harris vs. Trump on Climate Change
Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump have starkly different track records on climate change. To shed light on the two candidates’ climate agendas, we sorted through their campaign materials and recent statements on the campaign trail.