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Fact-checking the first Trump, Clinton presidential debate

National

Joshua Gillin

By Joshua Gillin September 26, 2016

Aaron Sharockman

By Aaron Sharockman 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.

Live fact-checking the first presidential debate

Listed in tweets.

stated on October 9, 2017 in Internet posts:

A viral image shows LeBron James wearing a T-shirt that reads, "We march, y’all mad. We sit down, y’all mad. We speak up, y’all mad. We die, y’all silent."

false

false

stated on October 9, 2017 in a headline:

"President Trump signs executive order stripping NFL of ‘non-profit’ status."

pants-fire

pants-fire

AsAmericanAsApplePie.org

stated on October 8, 2017 in a headline:

"Jason Aldean gig canceled after he sells out to liberals on ‘SNL’."

pants-fire

pants-fire

FreedomJunkshun.com

stated on November 6, 2017 in a headline:

"Supreme Court issues its first bench warrant ever."

pants-fire

pants-fire

stated on November 7, 2017 in an Internet post:

Says the University of Florida "requests to cancel rivalry game" against Florida State University.

pants-fire

pants-fire

YourNewsWire.com

stated on November 5, 2017 in an Internet post:

"Texas Church shooter was Antifa and wanted to start (a) ‘communist revolution.’ "

pants-fire

pants-fire

Sebastian Gorka

stated on November 1, 2017 in an appearance on 'Hannity':

Says Jake Tapper said Allahu Akbar was a "beautiful phrase" after a terrorist attack in New York.

pants-fire

pants-fire

stated on October 6, 2017 in Internet posts:

"California Democrat Maxine Waters charged on 3 counts."

barely-true

barely-true

stated on October 29, 2017 in Internet posts:

Says actor Morgan Freeman said, "Jailing Hillary" is the best way to "restore public faith in government."

pants-fire

pants-fire

FreedomJunkshun.com

stated on October 28, 2017 in a headline:

"Hillary Clinton leaves the country as Mueller indictment is announced."

pants-fire

pants-fire

FreedomJunkshun.com

stated on October 27, 2017 in a headline:

"Breitbart leaks names of four Dems being charged in Mueller’s Russia probe."

pants-fire

pants-fire

stated on October 4, 2017 in a Facebook post:

"People who die from a home invasion make up a sad but minuscule .04% of all gun murders in the U.S. And over a third of them are killed by their own gun that the criminal has either stolen or wrestled from them."

barely-true

barely-true

stated on October 23, 2017 in a headline:

"Tulsa school closes after brutal fire."

pants-fire

pants-fire

AsAmericanAsApplePie.org

stated on October 16, 2017 in a headline:

"Hillary (Clinton) caught on tape laughing about (Hurricane) Irma ‘wiping out all of those Florida hillbillies’."

pants-fire

pants-fire

AsAmericanAsApplePie.org

stated on October 15, 2017 in a headline:

"San Juan city council votes unanimously to impeach Trump-hating mayor."

pants-fire

pants-fire

stated on October 9, 2017 in Internet posts:

A viral image shows LeBron James wearing a T-shirt that reads, "We march, y’all mad. We sit down, y’all mad. We speak up, y’all mad. We die, y’all silent."

false

false

stated on October 9, 2017 in a headline:

"President Trump signs executive order stripping NFL of ‘non-profit’ status."

pants-fire

pants-fire

AsAmericanAsApplePie.org

stated on October 8, 2017 in a headline:

"Jason Aldean gig canceled after he sells out to liberals on ‘SNL’."

pants-fire

pants-fire

FreedomJunkshun.com

stated on November 6, 2017 in a headline:

"Supreme Court issues its first bench warrant ever."

pants-fire

pants-fire

stated on November 7, 2017 in an Internet post:

Says the University of Florida "requests to cancel rivalry game" against Florida State University.

pants-fire

pants-fire

YourNewsWire.com

stated on November 5, 2017 in an Internet post:

"Texas Church shooter was Antifa and wanted to start (a) ‘communist revolution.’ "

pants-fire

pants-fire

X posts
stated on June 2, 2025 in an X post:

Target “opts out of Pride month and replaced its Pride collection with an America First Summer display.”

By Gabrielle Lazor • June 6, 2025
Liz Oyer
stated on April 30, 2025 in a TikTok post:

“President Trump has granted pardons that have wiped out over $1 billion in debts owed by wealthy Americans who have committed fraud and broken the law.”

By Louis Jacobson • June 6, 2025
Russell Vought
stated on June 1, 2025 in an interview on CNN's "State of the Union":

“One out of every $5 or $6 in Medicaid (payments) is improper.”

By Louis Jacobson • June 4, 2025
Kathy Hochul
stated on May 5, 2025 in a television interview:

The state budget contains the largest middle class tax cut in 70 years.

By Jill Terreri Ramos • June 1, 2025
Viral image
stated on May 26, 2025 in an X post:

Image shows Ben & Jerry’s is selling “Free Palestine” and “From the River to Sea” ice cream flavors.

By Maria Briceño • May 30, 2025
Brenden Jones
stated on April 2, 2025 in a speech:

“Contractors are being rejected” from providing Hurricane Helene relief in North Carolina because of racial “quotas” required by the state.

By Paul Specht • May 30, 2025
Mike Johnson
stated on May 25, 2025 in a "Face the Nation" episode:

“We are not cutting” the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

By Loreben Tuquero • May 29, 2025
Donald Trump
stated on May 25, 2025 in a press gaggle:

Harvard University “refuse(s) to tell us” who its international students are.

By Maria Ramirez Uribe • May 28, 2025
TikTok posts
stated on May 24, 2025 in una publicación en TikTok:

El gobernador de Florida Ron DeSantis firmó ley que prohíbe a inmigrantes ilegalmente en el país echar gasolina.

By Maria Briceño • May 28, 2025
Social Media
stated on May 25, 2025 in social media posts:

The Republican tax and spending bill will let President Donald Trump “delay or cancel elections — legally.”

By Amy Sherman • May 28, 2025

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