This is a guide to key stories we did during the 2020 election between Donald Trump and his Democratic challenger, Joe Biden.
A Guide to the Candidates’ Claims
Locations: Michigan
Trump’s False Claim That Michigan Is ‘Closed’
In an interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity, President Donald Trump falsely claimed that the state of Michigan is “closed,” specifically and falsely mentioning churches and schools.
Trump’s False Auto Industry Claims
Continuing a yearslong trend, President Donald Trump made false and misleading comments about new auto plants in Michigan, and the industry at large.
Trump’s False Tweet About Michigan Absentee Ballot Applications
President Donald Trump erroneously tweeted that Michigan’s Democratic secretary of state was “illegally” sending “absentee ballots to 7.7 million people” for this year’s primary and general elections.
TV News Report Prompts Unfounded Attacks on Michigan Governor
A TV station’s report on a Michigan fine for those violating the state’s social distancing orders showed Gov. Gretchen Whitmer at a signing ceremony with an intimate crowd of people — prompting accusations of hypocrisy on social media. But the footage used was from January 2019.
Eric Trump Wrong About Michigan Manufacturing Jobs
On the night of the Michigan primary, Eric Trump falsely claimed that on his father’s watch “[m]ore manufacturing jobs have been created in Michigan than just about every state.” Manufacturing jobs over the last three years have increased in Michigan by less than 2% — half the national average.
Fake Tlaib Tweet Resurfaces Amid Iran News
An old tweet from an account impersonating Rep. Rashida Tlaib resurfaced on social media — this time with an erroneous claim that the tweet was her response to the recent attack on the U.S. embassy in Baghdad.
Trump’s Dubious Michigan ‘Man of the Year’ Boast
President Donald Trump has claimed no fewer than seven times over the past three years — including at a recent rally in New Hampshire — that he won Michigan’s “man of the year” award. But there’s no evidence that he did.
Anti-America Image From Iran, Not Michigan
A popular meme wrongly claims that a photo showing protesters advocating the demise of the U.S. was taken in Michigan. The image is from a 2013 rally in Iran.
Trump’s Great Lakes Whoppers
Falsely declaring that he has “always” been a supporter of the Great Lakes, President Donald Trump announced that he would fully fund the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative with $300 million, telling a Michigan crowd he would finally get done something they “have been trying to get for over 30 years.”