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Fact-checking the first Trump, Clinton presidential debate

National
LIVE TWITTER FEED PHOTO (UPDATE ME) DONT USE FOR ANYTHING ELSE
Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton speaks during the presidential debate with Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y., Monday, Sept. 26, 2016. (Rick T. Wilking/Pool via AP)
Aaron Sharockman
By Aaron Sharockman
September 26, 2016
Joshua Gillin
By Joshua Gillin
September 26, 2016

PolitiFact has 18 fact-checkers working tonight’s first presidential debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. See the live blog from the debate below and see all our new fact-checks at PolitiFact.com.

Our Sources

Listed in tweets.

Browse the Truth-O-Meter

More by Aaron Sharockman
Instagram posts
stated on November 1, 2024 in a post:
Dominion Voting Systems employee Eric Coomer told an Antifa meeting he “made sure” Donald Trump wouldn’t win.
False
By Aaron Sharockman • November 3, 2024
Threads posts
stated on October 29, 2024 in a post:
“Joe Rogan says he will not be voting for Trump after having him on the podcast.”
False
By Aaron Sharockman • November 3, 2024
Viral image
stated on August 5, 2021 in a viral image:
Says there are fewer than 2,000 confirmed COVID-19 hospitalizations in the U.S.
False
By Aaron Sharockman, Tom Kertscher • August 9, 2021
Facebook posts
stated on June 21, 2021 in a post on Facebook:
Says President John F. Kennedy said, “There are people in Washington, D.C., in positions of power to whom the border is just a nuisance, and I think some of them believe that illegal immigration is a moral good. It is not.”
False
By Aaron Sharockman • June 22, 2021
Bloggers
stated on October 7, 2020 in a post on Facebook:
“Shredded Pennsylvania Mail in ballot Applications were discovered in a trailer. The applications were for @realDonaldTrump.”
False
By Aaron Sharockman • October 8, 2020
Jason MIller
stated on October 4, 2020 in comments on ABC's "This Week":
Says Joe Biden stays in his basement.
False
By Aaron Sharockman • October 4, 2020
Facebook posts
stated on August 14, 2020 in a post on Facebook:
“As of the last 24 hours this is the protocol regarding masks: Masks should only be used by healthcare workers, caretakers or by people who are sick with symptoms like fever and cough.”
False
By Aaron Sharockman • August 18, 2020
Facebook posts
stated on June 30, 2020 in a post on Facebook:
An image from the St. Louis protest is “what MSM (mainstream media) won’t show you. Peaceful demonstrator pointing weapon at homeowner.”
False
By Aaron Sharockman • July 1, 2020
Facebook posts
stated on June 24, 2020 in a Facebook post:
Tennis star Serena Williams wrote that she’s “sick of COVID-19. I’m sick of black vs. white. I’m sick of Democrats vs. Republicans. I’m sick of gay vs. straight. I’m sick of Christians vs atheists. I’m REALLY sick of the media.”
False
By Aaron Sharockman • June 24, 2020
Facebook posts
stated on June 12, 2020 in a post on Facebook:
Says Tim Tebow “kneeled in protest of abortion during the National Anthem in 2012. He was praised by fans as being a ‘model American.’”
False
By Aaron Sharockman • June 19, 2020
X posts
stated on February 29, 2020 in posts on Twitter and Facebook:
Says Sen. Chuck Schumer deleted a Feb. 5 tweet criticizing President Donald Trump’s decision to ban some forms of travel to and from China.
Pants on Fire!
By Aaron Sharockman • February 29, 2020
Viral image
stated on February 29, 2020 in a post on Facebook:
“Bernie Logic: Nobody can live on $7 an hour. We must raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour. Also we must raise the tax rate to 52%. $15 an hour * 52% = $7.80. $15 an hour – $7.80 = $7.20. $7.20 an hour!!!”
False
By Aaron Sharockman • February 29, 2020
Amy Klobuchar
stated on December 20, 2019 in the sixth Democratic presidential debate:
Says Pete Buttigieg ran statewide in Indiana and “lost by 20 points.”
True
By Aaron Sharockman • December 20, 2019
Facebook posts
stated on October 29, 2018 in a post on Facebook:
“As some of you may know I am the recent $3.4 million lotto winner. I’d like to spread some positivity so I’m sending $1,000 to the first 100k people that share this.”
Pants on Fire!
By Aaron Sharockman • October 31, 2018
Bloggers
stated on February 7, 2018 in a blog post:
“FBI RAIDS OBAMA – Find Massive Secret That Was Hidden For YEARS.”
False
By Aaron Sharockman • March 30, 2018

Fact-checking the first Trump, Clinton presidential debate

Clear
Sam Altman
stated on September 1, 2026 in a podcast:
“For every 38,000 ChatGPT queries, that is the same amount of water that is used in the production of a single almond in California.”
Mostly False
By Caleb McCullough • September 4, 2026
David Jolly
stated on August 28, 2026 in a news conference:
“70, 80% of people across Florida are saying, ‘Don’t build data centers.'”
Mostly True
By Samantha Putterman • September 2, 2026
Troy Jackson
stated on August 28, 2026 in an X post:
When Sen. Susan Collins “had the chance to actually vote to stop Trump’s tariffs from driving up costs for Maine families and businesses, she voted NO.”
Mostly False
By Amy Sherman • September 2, 2026
Jon Ossoff
stated on August 16, 2026 in a speech:
U.S. Rep. Mike Collins “is literally one of the most active crypto traders in the entire Congress, House or Senate.”
True
By Ben Brasch • September 2, 2026
National Republican Senatorial Committee
stated on July 30, 2026 in video advertisement:
A fatal Ohio crash happened because “Sherrod Brown opened our borders to dangerous illegals.”
False
By Cami Henry-Seymore • September 1, 2026
Social Media
stated on July 20, 2026 in an X post:
North Carolina “processed 1,031,350 duplicate (voter) registrations.”
Half-True
By Paul Specht • August 28, 2026
Byron Donalds
stated on August 23, 2026 in una entrevista:
La “inmigración ilegal desenfrenada” durante la administración Biden es la causa de “un brote de sarampión en ciertas partes del país”.
False
By Samantha Putterman • August 27, 2026
Byron Donalds
stated on August 23, 2026 in an interview:
“Rampant illegal immigration” during the Biden administration is the cause of “a measles outbreak in certain parts of the country.”
False
By Samantha Putterman • August 27, 2026
JD Vance
stated on August 24, 2026 in a speech in Brewer, Maine:
Drug overdoses decreased in Maine because the Trump administration “sealed the border.”
False
By Amy Sherman • August 26, 2026
Social Media
stated on August 23, 2026 in social media posts:
Products marked as beef on U.S. store shelves “might just be from a foreign country that was buying horses from the U.S. government for the slaughter.”
False
By Maria Briceño • August 25, 2026
Jon Husted
stated on August 4, 2026 in a Fox News interview:
When he was a senator, Sherrod Brown “supported Social Security payments for illegals, healthcare for illegals and COVID checks for illegals.”
False
By Cami Henry-Seymore • August 25, 2026
Byron Donalds
stated on August 8, 2026 in an ad:
Florida Democratic gubernatorial candidate David Jolly said he supports “gender-changing surgeries on kids.”
False
By Samantha Putterman • August 19, 2026
Randy Fine
stated on August 16, 2026 in a fundraising email:
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is “requiring ID” to shop at city-run grocery stores.
False
By Amy Sherman • August 18, 2026
Abdul El-Sayed
stated on August 5, 2026 in an interview:
Former U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers “helped to architect the legislation that kicked off the opioid epidemic.”
Mostly False
By Caleb McCullough • August 17, 2026
Alexander Vindman
stated on July 27, 2026 in an X post:
Then-Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody transferred “$10 million in taxpayer money meant for children’s health care to a campaign fund.”
Half-True
By Samantha Putterman • August 13, 2026
Ron Johnson
stated on August 10, 2026 in a Fox News Digital video:
There is “an 82% miscarriage rate with women who got the (COVID-19 vaccine) injection in the first or second trimester.”
False
By Caleb McCullough • August 12, 2026
Donald Trump
stated on August 10, 2026 in remarks in the Oval Office:
When the measles, mumps and rubella vaccines are given together in the combined MMR vaccine, “there could be a possibility they’re quite lethal.”
Pants on Fire!
By Amy Sherman, Madison Czopek • August 11, 2026
Donald Trump
stated on August 10, 2026 in remarks while signing an executive order:
There are vaccines the size of a “bottle of soda … poured into a little child’s body.”
Pants on Fire!
By Grace Abels, Louis Jacobson • August 11, 2026
X posts
stated on August 8, 2026 in X posts:
Michigan Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed “openly calls for Sharia law in America.”
Pants on Fire!
By Amy Sherman • August 10, 2026
Donald Trump
stated on August 4, 2026 in a Fox News interview:
Prices are “all coming down now. The food, the groceries, it’s all coming down.”
Mostly False
By Louis Jacobson • August 10, 2026
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