Viral Facebook posts say that former President Barack Obama “shut down the government to force Obamacare.” That’s misleading.
Social Posts Distort Facts of 2013 Shutdown
Person: Barack Obama
Bogus Claim on Interest Rate Increases
The Federal Reserve has raised interest rates nine times since 2015, so a claim circulating on social media that there were no increases during the Obama administration is wrong.
Meme Confuses Lincoln’s Bible With A Quran
Former President Barack Obama was sworn into office in 2013 with his hand on two Bibles. He did not use a Quran, as a meme circulating online falsely claims.
Several Administrations Used Tear Gas at the Border
Q: During the Obama administration, did Border Patrol agents use tear gas to control crowds of migrants during incidents at the U.S.-Mexico border?
A: Yes, and the gas was also used by administrations prior to his, news reports say.
Our 15th Anniversary
FactCheck.org’s co-founder takes a look back at our beginnings and how the fact-checking landscape has changed.
Obama’s Misleading Oil Boast
Presidents — regardless of party — tend to take credit for good things that happen under their watch, regardless of how much influence their actions may have had. Exhibit A: Former President Barack Obama said the fact that the United States is now the world’s biggest oil producer didn’t happen “suddenly.” Instead, “that was me, people.”
Holiday Hoax About Obamas Resurfaces
The Obamas kept with tradition by displaying a Nativity scene in the White House for Christmas — contrary to what a viral falsehood claims.
Obama, Fox News and the Free Press
Former President Barack Obama stood up for a free press in his first political speech of the 2018 campaign season, but he engaged in a bit of revisionist history when it came to his administration’s dealings with Fox News.
Obama Cherry-Picks Uninsured Figure
Former President Barack Obama claimed that Republicans’ “sabotage of the Affordable Care Act has already cost more than 3 million Americans their health insurance.” That’s according to one estimate, but another found no significant change in the rate or the number of uninsured from 2016 to 2017.
Trump’s Bungled Twitter Attack on Obama
In a pair of tweets, President Donald Trump pushed back at former President Barack Obama for taking partial credit for the post-recession economic recovery. But, in doing so, Trump got the facts wrong.