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PolitiFact fact-checks the second Trump, Clinton presidential debate

California
Aaron Sharockman
By Aaron Sharockman
October 10, 2016
Joshua Gillin
By Joshua Gillin
October 10, 2016

The staff of PolitiFact will be live fact-checking the second presidential debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. Live coverage starts at 9 p.m. ET from St. Louis.

Ahead of the debate, you can compare Clinton and Trump’s records on PolitiFact’s Truth-O-Meter here.

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

PolitiFact fact-checks the second Trump, Clinton presidential debate

Clear
Chris Pappas
stated on September 15, 2026 in a press release:
New Hampshire Republican U.S. Senate candidate John Sununu “led efforts to privatize Social Security.”
Mostly True
By Louis Jacobson • September 23, 2026
Sherrod Brown
stated on September 3, 2026 in a campaign ad:
Sen. Jon Husted “led the push to bring data centers to Ohio and gave billions of tax dollars to make it happen.”
Mostly True
By Cami Henry-Seymore • September 23, 2026
Donald Trump
stated on September 22, 2026 in a speech to the United Nations General Assembly:
The people who warned of climate change, the “Russia hoax” and the “Ukraine hoax” are the same people “now saying that AI is going to kill us all.”
False
By Caleb McCullough, Loreben Tuquero • September 22, 2026
TikTok posts
stated on September 20, 2026 in a post:
President Joe Biden “cut off 440 reporters’ credentials.”
Mostly False
By Jeff Cercone • September 21, 2026
Abdul El-Sayed
stated on September 1, 2026 in an X post:
President Donald Trump’s tariffs “cost each Michigan household $5,619.”
Mostly False
By Caleb McCullough • September 17, 2026
Zach Lahn
stated on August 21, 2026 in an ad:
Iowa gubernatorial candidate Rob Sand “wants to raise (Iowans’) taxes by $7,500 per year.”
False
By Genevieve DiChiara • September 17, 2026
TikTok posts
stated on September 3, 2026 in publicaciones en TikTok:
Adamari López “delató a dos inmigrantes que fueron capturados por las autoridades de inmigración”.
Pants on Fire!
By Maria Briceño • September 16, 2026
Abdul El-Sayed
stated on September 12, 2026 in an X post:
Former U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers “voted to deny health care” to 9/11 first responders “nine times.”
Half-True
By Caleb McCullough • September 15, 2026
Jon Ossoff
stated on September 2, 2026 in a TV ad:
U.S. Rep. Mike Collins “voted to gut Social Security” and “wants to push (older Americans) off Social Security and back to work.”
Mostly False
By Maria Briceño • September 15, 2026
WinSenate
stated on in an ad:
“Troy Jackson expanded Medicaid health coverage in Maine. Susan Collins was the deciding vote for Trump’s Medicaid cuts.”
Mostly False
By Amy Sherman • September 14, 2026
Roy Cooper
stated on August 26, 2026 in a televised interview:
North Carolina officials “removed” an early-voting site from North Carolina A&T State University.
Mostly False
By Paul Specht • September 11, 2026
Byron Donalds
stated on August 24, 2026 in an ad:
Florida Democratic gubernatorial nominee David Jolly “wants more taxes on tips, overtime and Social Security.”
False
By Samantha Putterman • September 11, 2026
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
stated on September 10, 2026 in a speech at the RNC midterm convention:
The U.S. has “the sickest children in the history of the world.”
False
By Caleb McCullough, Loreben Tuquero • September 10, 2026
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
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