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17 candidates, 2 debates, 1 Donald Trump and plenty to fact-check

Texas

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump gestures during the first Republican presidential debate in Cleveland, Ohio. (AP)

Aaron Sharockman

By Aaron Sharockman August 7, 2015

Seventeen candidates, five moderators, two debates, one Donald Trump. All of it kept the fact-checkers busy Thursday.

Click here for PolitiFact's immediate rundown of claims made during the debate.

See individual fact-checks.

stated on December 20, 2019 in the sixth Democratic presidential debate:

Says Pete Buttigieg ran statewide in Indiana and "lost by 20 points."

true

true

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-fire

pants-fire

stated on February 7, 2018 in a blog post:

"FBI RAIDS OBAMA – Find Massive Secret That Was Hidden For YEARS."

false

false

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

false

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

false

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

false

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

false

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

false

stated on October 4, 2020 in comments on ABC's "This Week":

Says Joe Biden stays in his basement.

false

false

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

false

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

false

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

false

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

false

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-fire

pants-fire

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

false

stated on December 20, 2019 in the sixth Democratic presidential debate:

Says Pete Buttigieg ran statewide in Indiana and "lost by 20 points."

true

true

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-fire

pants-fire

stated on February 7, 2018 in a blog post:

"FBI RAIDS OBAMA – Find Massive Secret That Was Hidden For YEARS."

false

false

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

false

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

false

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

false

Alex Jones
stated on March 11, 2025 in a podcast episode:

Deceased InfoWars reporter Jamie White was on a “Ukrainian enemies hit list.”

By Sara Swann • March 14, 2025
Facebook posts
stated on March 7, 2025 in a post on Facebook:

The Department of Government Efficiency “found a $6 million grant awarded to Whoopi Goldberg to ‘promote diversity on The View.’”

By Madison Czopek • March 14, 2025
Social Media
stated on February 25, 2025 in a post:

Girl Scout cookies are “toxic” because a study showed they contain glyphosate and heavy metals.

By Sara Swann • March 14, 2025
Facebook posts
stated on March 9, 2025 in a Facebook post:

Video shows “Stacey Abrams admits the $2 billion Joe Biden’s EPA gave her was used to buy votes of people in Georgia by purchasing them new appliances.”

By Loreben Tuquero • March 14, 2025
Karoline Leavitt
stated on March 11, 2025 in a White House press briefing:

“Tariffs are a tax cut for the American people.”

By Louis Jacobson • March 13, 2025
Brad Schimel
stated on February 6, 2025 in X, formerly Twitter:

“Eliminate school choice” is on Susan Crawford’s agenda.

By Madeline Heim • March 13, 2025
JD Vance
stated on March 10, 2025 in a speech to the National League of Cities:

“Under the previous administration … the cost of a median-price home in America more than doubled, and that was just in four years.”

By Louis Jacobson • March 12, 2025
Rick Scott
stated on March 9, 2025 in an interview on CNN's "State of the Union":

“The number of full-time jobs (was) dropping almost the entire Biden administration.”

By Louis Jacobson • March 11, 2025
X posts
stated on March 7, 2025 in on social media:

During President Joe Biden’s four years in office, “31% of U.S. job growth” came from public-sector jobs.

By Louis Jacobson • March 11, 2025
Facebook posts
stated on March 3, 2025 in una publicación en Facebook:

El 3 de marzo del 2025 falleció el presidente Donald Trump en un accidente de helicóptero.

By Maria Briceño • March 11, 2025

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