Q: Was Malia Obama fired from an internship for smoking marijuana? Was she arrested for buying marijuana in Chicago?
A: No. Those spoof stories were made up to troll conservative readers.
Invented Malia Obama Stories
Debunking Viral Claims
These articles debunk misinformation shared on social media. We also provide resources for readers: an article and a video on how to combat misinformation.
From late 2016 to early 2025, FactCheck.org was one of several organizations working with Meta to debunk misinformation shared on Meta’s social media platforms.
Trump Didn’t Pass Out
Q: Did President Donald Trump collapse while giving a speech in New Jersey?
A: No. That story was published by a self-described satirical website.
Overstated Funding for Overseas Mosques
Q: Did the Obama administration spend $770 million restoring overseas mosques?
A: That claim is based on a misleading television news report about a 20-year funding project that ended well before Barack Obama became president.
Trump Didn’t Ignore Disabled Child
Q: Did President Donald Trump ignore a disabled child who tried to shake his hand?
A: No. A viral video clip omitted Trump’s earlier interaction with the boy.
25 Million Clinton Votes Weren’t Fake
Q: Did NPR report that a study found “over 25 million Hillary Clinton votes were completely fraudulent,” and that she “actually lost the popular vote”?
A: No. That claim was made in a story that conflates a 2012 article about inaccuracies in voter registration rolls with actual fraudulent votes.
Celebrity Quote Mismatch
Q: Did Kim Kardashian, Kanye West and Rihanna say they feel “unsafe” under President Donald Trump, and “can’t even look at an American flag anymore”?
A: No. Those are altered versions of statements made by singer Lana Del Ray.
No Legalization of Sharia Law
Q: Did a Muslim federal judge rule two parts of sharia law legal?
A: No. That only happened in a fake story on a satirical website.
Trey Gowdy Didn’t End Russia Probe
Q: Did Rep. Trey Gowdy end the Russia investigation?
A: No. That claim was made in a headline that wasn’t supported by its story.
No Arrests for Impeachment Attempt
Q: Were two U.S. senators charged with trying to impeach President Donald Trump under false pretenses?
A: No. That story originated on a prolific satire website.
Obama Didn’t Attend G-20 in 2017
Q: Did former President Barack Obama follow President Donald Trump to the G-20 summit in Hamburg, Germany?
A: No. That claim was made on websites that don’t “make any warranties” about the reliability of their information.