Even before a bipartisan group of senators unveiled the text of a foreign aid and immigration overhaul bill on Feb. 4, it faced significant opposition from former President Donald Trump and other Republican leaders. Before the bill had been released, Republican Sen. Ted Cruz described it as “a steaming pile […]
Facts Check
Electric Vehicles Contribute Fewer Emissions Than Gasoline-Powered Cars Over Their Lifetimes
Q: Are electric cars really better for the environment than gasoline-powered cars over their lifetimes? A: Yes. Electric vehicles typically release fewer greenhouse gas emissions than internal combustion engine vehicles during their life cycles, even after accounting for the increased energy required to make their batteries. And their carbon footprints […]
Posts Misrepresent Mouse Study of Pangolin Virus
SciCheck Digest A study showed a type of lab mouse is highly susceptible to a coronavirus derived from pangolins, a scaly, cat-sized mammal. This doesn’t mean the virus is dangerous to humans. The virus is related to the one that causes COVID-19 but did not descend from it, contrary to […]
Online Posts Share Altered Photo of Taylor Swift With Bogus Political Sign
Para leer en español, vea esta traducción de Google Translate. Quick Take Taylor Swift has previously endorsed political candidates, including Joe Biden in the 2020 election. Online posts, however, share an altered photo of Swift that purports to show she endorses former President Donald Trump’s false claim that he won […]
Posts Sling Baseless Claims at Judge in Defamation Case Against Trump
Para leer en español, vea esta traducción de Google Translate. Quick Take Misinformation peddlers baselessly claim a judge who presided over the defamation case that ended with an $83 million verdict against former President Donald Trump is linked to sex trafficking, noting that the judge dismissed a case related to […]
Biden Makes False Claim About Jan. 6 Capitol Attack
Para leer en español, vea esta traducción de Google Translate. About 140 law enforcement officers were injured during the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, according to multiple reports. But no officers were “killed” that day, as President Joe Biden falsely claimed at a Jan. 31 campaign reception in Miami. […]
Examining Lankford’s Claim About ‘Special Interest Aliens’
Para leer en español, vea esta traducción de Google Translate. With apprehensions at the southern border still near historical highs, some congressional Republicans have raised concerns about the number of border crossers who have been counted as so-called “Special Interest Aliens.” Those are migrants the Department of Homeland Security defined in 2019 […]
Trump, Haley Trade False and Misleading Attacks
Para leer en español, vea esta traducción de Google Translate. Former President Donald Trump and Nikki Haley, the former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, have misfired in launching attacks on each other recently: Trump said Haley “supports a 23% national sales tax.” A dozen years ago, Haley posted a […]
Trump Chose to Compete in Nevada GOP Caucuses, Not Primary, Contrary to Online Claims
Para leer en español, vea esta traducción de Google Translate. Quick Take Former President Donald Trump is competing in Nevada’s Republican presidential caucuses but not the state-run primary election. Nevada’s delegates are awarded based on the results of caucuses, not the primary election. Social media posts falsely claim Trump “forgot […]
Posts Mislead About Measles, MMR Vaccine Amid Recent Outbreaks
SciCheck Digest Measles is a highly contagious disease that can be serious and even fatal. Fortunately, it can safely be prevented by vaccination. But in the wake of outbreaks in the U.S. and elsewhere — likely in large part due to low vaccination coverage — social media posts have downplayed […]