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A Project of The Annenberg Public Policy Center

America Not ‘Cleanest We’ve Ever Been’

America Not ‘Cleanest We’ve Ever Been’

In response to a question about climate change, President Donald Trump falsely claimed that the United States was “the cleanest we’ve ever been.” Data from a variety of sources show that while the country has made strides in the last decade, its carbon dioxide, or CO2, emissions are far from their lowest point.
The president’s comments came on Nov. 26 after he was asked by a journalist about the latest National Climate Assessment.

Trump’s Border Claims

Trump’s Border Claims

After a group of migrants tried to breach the U.S. border at Tijuana, Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Kevin McAleenan said there were no “reported serious injuries on either side of the border.” But President Donald Trump told reporters the same day that “three Border Patrol people yesterday were very badly hurt through getting hit with rocks and stones.”

Bogus Meme Targets Red Cross

Bogus Meme Targets Red Cross

Q: Is the American Red Cross “not helping California wildfire victims” but helping members of the “caravan”?

A: No. The American Red Cross is helping in California, and the global Red Cross network is helping migrants from Central America.

Bad Math Leads to Bogus Voter Fraud Claim

Bad Math Leads to Bogus Voter Fraud Claim

Q: Was “voter fraud” responsible for Democratic wins in Orange County, California?

A: There have been no credible complaints of voter fraud in Orange County following the midterm elections.

Meme Resurrects, and Distorts, 2009 Airport Scuffle

Meme Resurrects, and Distorts, 2009 Airport Scuffle

Q: Did President Barack Obama in 2009 have a journalist named Brenda Lee removed from Air Force One?
A: No. Lee, a newspaper contributor, was physically removed from a press area outside the aircraft in Los Angeles — before Obama arrived. 

Trump Repeatedly Errs on California Wildfires

Trump Repeatedly Errs on California Wildfires

Over the past two weekends, as two major wildfires devastated communities in Northern and Southern California, President Donald Trump has inaccurately blamed the state’s forest management practices for the blazes. He has also wrongly said that raking — a method he attributed to Finland — could have solved the problem.

False Quote Attributed to Rep.-Elect Ilhan Omar

False Quote Attributed to Rep.-Elect Ilhan Omar

Q: A meme circulating online attributes an inflammatory remark about white men to congresswoman-elect Ilhan Omar. Did she actually say that?
A: No. The meme falsely attributes a fictitious quote to Omar.

Trump Spins Midterm Election Results

Trump Spins Midterm Election Results

President Donald Trump in recent days has engaged in some post-election spin. He claimed that Gov. Rick Scott won the Senate race in Florida “by a lot,” and tweeted that the “Midterm results” for House Republicans “were better than other sitting Presidents.”

Video: False Florida Recount Claims

Video: False Florida Recount Claims

CNN’s Jake Tapper examines bogus claims about voter fraud in this week’s fact-checking video in collaboration with FactCheck.org.

FBI Didn’t Reach Conclusion on Kavanaugh Accusations

FBI Didn’t Reach Conclusion on Kavanaugh Accusations

Q: Did the FBI issue a report that “confirms” that “none” of Brett Kavanaugh’s accusers’ stories were true?

A: No. Contrary to false social media claims, the bureau did not reach any conclusion in its background investigation.