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A Project of The Annenberg Public Policy Center

Dueling Ads: Trump and DeSantis on Social Security and Medicare

Dueling Ads: Trump and DeSantis on Social Security and Medicare

Former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis both say they do not support cuts to Social Security. But dueling ads from super PACs supporting their presidential bids say past statements or actions suggest they once did, and therefore seniors should not trust them.

Posts Distort Soros’ Comments on a DeSantis Candidacy

Posts Distort Soros’ Comments on a DeSantis Candidacy

Billionaire George Soros said Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis “is likely to be the Republican candidate” in the 2024 presidential race. But social media posts edited Soros’ remarks to falsely claim he endorsed the governor. Soros’ full remarks show that he does not support DeSantis for president and that he hopes for “a Democratic landslide.”

DeSantis’ Dubious COVID-19 Vaccine Claims

DeSantis’ Dubious COVID-19 Vaccine Claims

While announcing a request for a grand jury probe into “crimes and wrongdoing” related to the COVID-19 vaccines, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and his panel of contrarian experts repeatedly suggested the shots were too risky. But such claims are unsupported and based on flawed analyses.

Posts Misrepresent How Florida Arrived at Quick Election Results

Posts Misrepresent How Florida Arrived at Quick Election Results

Florida law allows election officials to start counting early in-person and mail-in ballots before Election Day. But social media posts falsely claim Florida counted all of its more than 7 million votes in five hours on Election Day and states that took longer committed “voter fraud.” Most states don’t allow vote counting to begin until Election Day or after polls close.

DeSantis vs. Disney Q&A

DeSantis vs. Disney Q&A

Here we review what we know about the ongoing conflict between the entertainment company and the Republican governor.

DeSantis Misleads on Omicron-Resistant COVID-19 Antibody Treatments

DeSantis Misleads on Omicron-Resistant COVID-19 Antibody Treatments

After the Food and Drug Administration pulled its authorization of two COVID-19 antibody drugs because the treatments are highly unlikely to work against the omicron variant, Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida misleadingly claimed the decision had been made “without a shred of clinical data” to support it. There may not be data from patients, but lab studies strongly suggest the treatments will not help omicron-infected people.

Migrants Not Responsible for Latest COVID-19 Surge

Migrants Not Responsible for Latest COVID-19 Surge

Infectious disease experts say low vaccination rates, resistance to protective measures such as wearing a mask and the highly transmissible delta variant are driving the current surge of COVID-19 cases in the U.S.

Meme Featuring DeSantis Presents Misleading Picture of COVID-19 and Vaccine Safety

Meme Featuring DeSantis Presents Misleading Picture of COVID-19 and Vaccine Safety

COVID-19 was the third-leading cause of death in the U.S. in 2020. But a meme featuring Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis minimizes the toll the pandemic already has taken — particularly among the elderly. The meme also questions getting inoculated, despite the safety record of the vaccines and DeSantis’ public support for vaccines.

Bogus Voter Fraud Claims

Bogus Voter Fraud Claims

With votes continuing to be counted in very close elections in Florida, Georgia and Arizona, President Donald Trump and some other Republicans have been crying foul, making false and misleading claims of supposed election fraud perpetrated by Democrats in an attempt to “steal” the elections.