In the first debate clash of the 2024 campaign, the two candidates unleashed a flurry of false and misleading statements.
FactChecking the Biden-Trump Debate
FactCheck Posts
Competing Narratives on Real Wages, Incomes Under Biden
In recent weeks, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Sen. Tim Scott offered seemingly contradictory claims when discussing the impact of inflation on the typical American’s wages and income. Both can cite economic data that support their claims. The difference is the starting point of their comparisons.
Wind Energy’s Key Environmental Advantage? Low Emissions
Q: Are wind farms harmful to the environment?
A: Like all energy sources, wind farms have some negative environmental impacts. But getting energy from wind farms results in dramatically lower greenhouse gas emissions than getting it from fossil fuels.
Trump Spreads Election Misinformation in Key States
In speeches in Nevada and Arizona, former President Donald Trump continued to spread misinformation that undermines public confidence in state and federal elections.
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A federal appeals court has revived a lawsuit against the Los Angeles Unified School District for its now-rescinded COVID-19 vaccine requirement.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.