Stand up for the facts!

Our only agenda is to publish the truth so you can be an informed participant in democracy.
We need your help.

More Info

I would like to contribute

$

Read the 34 felony charges in the Donald Trump indictment over the Stormy Daniels payoff

Legal Issues National
Donald Trump in Manhattan court, closeup, 4-4-2023
Former President Donald Trump appears in court for his arraignment on April 4, 2023, in New York. (AP)
By PolitiFact Staff
April 4, 2023

Former President Donald Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records after his arraignment April 4 in Manhattan. 

The case was brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and involves a $130,000 hush money payment in 2016 to adult film actor Stormy Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford. Trump’s former lawyer, Michael Cohen, pleaded guilty in 2018 for his role in facilitating the payments, which were made days before the presidential election. In May 2018, Trump confirmed in a series of tweets that he had personally reimbursed Cohen for the payments. 

A Manhattan grand jury voted March 30 to indict Trump. 

Read the list of charges from New York state courts, followed by the statement of facts:

 

Our Sources

Donald Trump indictment: A roundup of PolitiFact’s fact-checks, stories and explainers

Browse the Truth-O-Meter

More by PolitiFact Staff
Donald Trump
stated on December 8, 2021 in an interview with Hugh Hewitt:
Gas prices were “$1.86 when I left” the White House.
False
By PolitiFact Staff • December 8, 2021
Louise Slaughter
stated on September 5, 2017 in a tweet:
Rescinding the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program “will harm our economy.”
True
By PolitiFact Staff • September 10, 2017
Bloggers
stated on March 2, 2017 in a headline:
“Doctors who discovered cancer enzymes in vaccines all found murdered.”
Pants on Fire!
By PolitiFact Staff • April 4, 2017
David Menchetti
stated on November 28, 2016 in testimony before the Illinois House Labor and Commerce Committee:
“The causation standard in Indiana is exactly the same as it is in Illinois.”
True
By PolitiFact Staff • December 19, 2016
Kasim Reed
stated on September 16, 2016 in a White House press conference:
“If you look at any real analysis,” the Trans-Pacific Partnership is “going to generate better-paying jobs that are more stable.”
Half-True
By PolitiFact Staff • September 30, 2016
Kasim Reed
stated on November 17, 2015 in press release:
While the smoking rate nationally has fallen, more than 18 percent of Georgians still light up.  
Mostly True
By PolitiFact Staff • November 30, 2015
NextGen Climate Action Committee
stated on August 8, 2014 in a campaign ad:
Says Rick Scott “is letting Duke (Energy) keep collecting billions” despite troubled power plants.
Half-True
By PolitiFact Staff • August 13, 2014
Georgia Department of Transportation
stated on July 19, 2011 in a press release:
The Northwest Corridor highway project in Cobb and Cherokee counties “is expected to create over 9,700 jobs statewide.”
False
By PolitiFact Staff • August 10, 2011
Republican National Committee
stated on June 5, 2008 in in a news release:
Obama couldn’t have afforded his home without Rezko’s help.
False
By PolitiFact Staff • June 17, 2008

Read the 34 felony charges in the Donald Trump indictment over the Stormy Daniels payoff

Clear
Social Media
stated on July 14, 2026 in a social media post:
“Congress just picked the one version of clock reform America has already tried, hated, and repealed.”
True
By Alex Min • July 20, 2026
Sherrod Brown
stated on July 1, 2026 in an X post:
Since the passage of the “Jon Husted-backed” HB 6, Ohioans’ residential utility rates have gone up $663 a year.
Half-True
By Gracey Abernethy • July 20, 2026
Jon Ossoff
stated on June 27, 2026 in a campaign speech:
President Donald Trump and U.S. Rep. Mike Collins “doubled health insurance premiums for more than a million Georgians and threw 300,000 Georgians off their insurance altogether.”
Mostly True
By Ben Brasch • July 16, 2026
Donald Trump
stated on July 8, 2026 in remarks at a press conference:
The AI industry needs “more energy than the entire country produces right now … In fact some people say almost double.”
Mostly False
By Louis Jacobson • July 14, 2026
X posts
stated on July 12, 2026 in X posts:
A photo showing Mitch McConnell and his wife is from his 2023 hospitalization or is AI generated.
False
By Caleb McCullough • July 13, 2026
Donald Trump
stated on July 8, 2026 in remarks to reporters:
President Joe Biden “raised the cost of housing by 40 and 50% — the cost of (a) rental — because they were housing illegal aliens in all of those empty units.”
Mostly False
By Carsten Oyer • July 10, 2026
Paul Renner
stated on July 2, 2026 in a debate:
Jay Collins sponsored a bill to give AI hyperscale data centers “permanent tax incentives.”
Half-True
By Samantha Putterman • July 9, 2026
Donald Trump
stated on July 1, 2026 in remarks to reporters:
“You know why I’m profiting? Because the stock market’s going up. … I’m profiting because I have a lot of money and a lot of cash.”
Mostly False
By Louis Jacobson • July 7, 2026
Abdul El-Sayed
stated on June 14, 2026 in an X post:
Michigan U.S. Senate candidate Mike Rogers “took a $14 million payout as a pharma lobbyist.”
Pants on Fire!
By Caleb McCullough • July 2, 2026
Donald Trump
stated on June 30, 2026 in a Truth Social post:
“The United States Supreme Court just ruled against men playing in women’s sports.”
Half-True
By Caleb McCullough • July 1, 2026
Mike Collins
stated on June 17, 2026 in an advertisement:
U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff “cast the deciding vote for the inflation disaster,” referring to the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act.
False
By Ben Brasch • June 29, 2026
Tommy Tuberville
stated on June 24, 2026 in an interview with Fox News:
Says benefits of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act are “going to go to a lot of people that are here illegally to build…
False
By Alex Min, Louis Jacobson • June 26, 2026
Move Indigo
stated on June 1, 2026 in a statement:
New York state law allows citizens with dual residences to choose where they want to vote.
True
By Jill Terreri Ramos • June 26, 2026
Graham Platner
stated on June 17, 2026 in an ad:
Sen. Susan Collins “sided with Trump, giving billionaires and corporations a hand out, paid for by cuts to Medicaid and SNAP.”
False
By Amy Sherman • June 25, 2026
Donald Trump
stated on June 23, 2026 in a speech in Macungie, Pennsylvania:
In the past 13 months, “The typical 401(k) … is up almost $30,000.”
Mostly False
By Louis Jacobson • June 25, 2026
David Jolly
stated on June 11, 2026 in a speech:
Florida is “49th in avoidable hospital costs.”
Mostly True
By Samantha Putterman • June 24, 2026
Marsha Blackburn
stated on June 19, 2026 in an X post:
The Obama Presidential Center is “requiring photo ID to enter.”
False
By Alex Min • June 23, 2026
Susan Collins
stated on June 12, 2026 in an interview with the media:
The Supreme Court’s 2022 ruling on abortion “has not had an impact on the state of Maine in that Maine actually expanded its law.”
Mostly True
By Amy Sherman • June 23, 2026
Jon Ossoff
stated on June 17, 2026 in an ad:
Republican U.S. Senate candidate Mike Collins “admitted” that President Donald Trump is in the Epstein files.
Mostly False
By Ben Brasch • June 18, 2026
Bernie Sanders
stated on June 12, 2026 in an X post:
“Today, Elon Musk, a trillionaire, pays the same amount into Social Security as someone making $184,500.”
Mostly True
By Caleb McCullough • June 17, 2026
Load More