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A Project of The Annenberg Public Policy Center

Revived Falsehood that Trump Fired ‘Muslim Judge’

Revived Falsehood that Trump Fired ‘Muslim Judge’

A viral story shared on Facebook falsely claims President Donald Trump has fired a “Muslim federal judge” over “Sharia Law.” The story was published two years ago by a website that calls its work satire, but it is being spread again by a Tumblr site.

Bogus Photo Targets Rep. Elise Stefanik

Bogus Photo Targets Rep. Elise Stefanik

An altered image makes it look like Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik stuck up her middle finger in a House committee room at the end of a public impeachment inquiry hearing. She didn’t.

Erroneous Claim of ‘End of Youth Hunting’ in Virginia

Erroneous Claim of ‘End of Youth Hunting’ in Virginia

Posts on Facebook wrongly claim that Virginia has “announced the end of youth hunting.” The state’s Department of Game & Inland Fisheries confirmed that there have been “no such changes” in state laws, and scheduled youth hunting days remain on the calendar.

Social Posts Distort Facts on Political Relationships

Social Posts Distort Facts on Political Relationships

Social media posts falsely claim that California Gov. Gavin Newsom is House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s nephew, and that Rep. Adam Schiff has a sister who is married to the son of George Soros. It also falsely states that a daughter of former Secretary of State John Kerry is married to a “mullah’s son in Iran.”

Memes Overstate Yovanovitch’s Wealth

Memes Overstate Yovanovitch’s Wealth

Questionable websites and social media posts claim — without evidence — that former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch’s net worth is as high as $23 million. According to her most recent financial disclosure, Yovanovitch has an estimated net worth of between $1.3 million and $3.3 million.

Donald Trump and New York’s Veterans Day Parade

Donald Trump and New York’s Veterans Day Parade

A meme circulating on Facebook exaggerates the role played by President Donald Trump in funding a 1995 Veterans Day parade in New York. He donated $200,000, which was less than 10% of the total raised, according to press reports at the time.

Interview Prompts Erroneous Claim of Vindman Firing

Interview Prompts Erroneous Claim of Vindman Firing

Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, a Ukraine expert working in the White House, was not fired by President Donald Trump — as posts circulating online continue to perpetuate. The confusion was born out of a recent television interview with Trump’s national security adviser.

Old Meme Misinforms on CHIP Funding

Old Meme Misinforms on CHIP Funding

A 2017 meme has resurfaced on Facebook, spreading outdated speculation that the Republicans would not fund the federal Children’s Health Insurance Program. In fact, President Donald Trump signed bipartisan legislation in February 2018 that funds CHIP through fiscal year 2027.