HHS Advances Kennedy’s Old ‘Placebo’ Vaccine Safety Claims
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has a long history of undermining confidence in vaccine safety, including by repeatedly claiming that vaccines are not tested in placebo-controlled trials, a familiar anti-vaccine trope.
Now, an HHS spokesperson has used similar language in a statement that falsely said there’s little available evidence on whether vaccines are safe.
Trump’s Stock Market Blame-Shifting
On the eve of his inauguration on Jan. 19, Donald Trump took a bow for the then surging stock market.
“Everyone is calling it the — I don’t want to say this, it’s too braggadocious, but we’ll say it anyway — the Trump effect. It’s you. You’re the effect. Since the election, the stock market has surged,” Trump said.
Trump rings the opening bell on the trading floor of the New York Stock Exchange on Dec. 12, 2024, in New York City. Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images.
What RFK Jr. Gets Wrong About Autism
President Donald Trump hailed Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as a reformer when appointing him health and human services (HHS) secretary, declaring Kennedy would get “the American people the facts and the answers that we deserve.” Including about autism.
Fact-Checking Is Out, ‘Community Notes’ Are In
One Friday in April, Meta’s chief global affairs officer, Joel Kaplan, announced that the process of removing fact-checking from Facebook, Threads, and Instagram was nearly complete. By the following Monday, there would be “no new fact checks and no fact checkers” working across these platforms, which are used by billions of people globally—no professionals marking disinformation about vaccines or stolen elections.
Can Border Patrol enforce immigration laws on tribal land?
The federal government has enforcement authority over federal crimes like crossing the U.S.-Mexico border illegally, even if they happen on tribal land. AllSides highlights content from Gigafact, a network of newsrooms that respond to online claims. View the full fact brief on The Colorado Sun.
Trump Profited from God Bless the USA Bible Company That Sells Bibles for $59.99?
On March 26, 2024, former U.S. President Donald Trump announced in a video on his Truth Social platform his personal endorsement of a special Bible costing $59.99. The book is sold by the God Bless the USA Bible company and is named the "God Bless the USA" Bible.
Did Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs veto a bill that sought to ban the use of SNAP benefits to buy soda?
In April, Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs vetoed a bill that sought to prohibit people from using Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits — commonly known as food stamps — to purchase soda. AllSides highlights content from Gigafact, a network of newsrooms that respond to online claims. View the full fact brief on Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting.
Trump’s 100th Day Spin
To commemorate his first 100 days in office this term, President Donald Trump gave a speech in Michigan and granted interviews to several news outlets. In our review of his remarks, we found false and misleading claims, including quite a few Trump has made before:
The president insisted that an immigrant who was deported to El Salvador has tattoos on his knuckles that say “M-S-one-three,” but the actual letters and numbers in a photo Trump shared are an “obvious digital manipulation,” an expert told us.
Did Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers tell state employees not to assist federal immigration officials?
A memo issued by Democratic Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers’ administration directs state employees to contact an attorney before offering any cooperation if they are encountered in the workplace by a federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent. AllSides highlights content from Gigafact, a network of newsrooms that respond to online claims. View the full fact brief on Wisconsin Watch.
Border crossings, egg prices and jobs - Trump's 100 days speech fact-checked
President Trump used a rally in Michigan to mark what he claimed had been "the most successful first 100 days of any administration in the history of our country, according to many, many people".
He highlighted his efforts to tackle illegal immigration, to bring back jobs to the US and end what he called "the inflation nightmare".
BBC Verify has looked into some of the main claims from his speech.
Are petrol prices down 'by a lot'?
Trump said "gasoline prices are down by a lot" since he took office.