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

$
Bloggers
Bloggers
stated on January 6, 2020 in a story:

 Nancy Pelosi assured Iran that Trump will “pay for his crimes.”  

Pants on Fire!
By Samantha Putterman
January 9, 2020

No, Pelosi never told Iran that Trump will ‘pay’ for Soleimani’s killing

A viral story’s claim about House Speaker Nancy Pelosi assuring Iran that President Donald Trump will faces consequences for ordering the killing of a top-ranking Iranian general contains no details or credible sources. It is based entirely on a fabricated story originally posted by a satirical blog.

A website called Massachusetts Daily posted the article on Jan. 6 with the headline, “Nancy Pelosi Assures Iran That Trump Will ‘Pay For His Crimes.’”

The article was flagged as part of Facebook’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Facebook.)

The Massachusetts Daily story states that Pelosi “may have just committed treason” after she allegedly sent a letter to Iran’s embassy, apologizing for the killing of Iranian Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani and insisting Trump would pay. The article goes on to say that Pelosi apologized in advance for upcoming military strikes and said she was sorry “for any inconvenience.” None of it is true.

This concocted account was copied and pasted word-for-word from a post by a satire blog called “Taters Gonna Tate.” That site contains a disclaimer that says, “Everything on this website is fiction.”

The Massachusetts Daily website, on the other hand, contains no such disclaimer. Its home page contains a number of stories that are simply made-up like this one.

We rate this story Pants on Fire!

Our Sources

Massachusetts Daily, Nancy Pelosi Assures Iran That Trump Will ‘Pay For His Crimes’, Jan. 6, 2020 

TatersGonnaTate, Nancy Pelosi Assures Iran That Trump Will ‘Pay For His Crimes’, Accessed Jan. 8, 2020

TaterGonnaTate, About us, Accessed Jan. 8, 2020

Snopes, Did Nancy Pelosi Say Trump Must Apologize to Iran ‘Or Else’?, Jan. 4, 2020

Browse the Truth-O-Meter

More by Samantha Putterman
Donald Trump
stated on September 23, 2025 a speech to the U.N. General Assembly
“I have ended seven unendable wars.”
Mostly False
stated on September 3, 2025 a press conference
Every school vaccine mandate “drips” with “slavery.”
Pants on Fire!

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier gets history wrong on census citizenship question

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
stated on January 7, 2026 a press briefing

stated on January 14, 2026 a statement

Social Media
stated on February 14, 2026 social media posts



stated on January 20, 2026 an op-ed


Donald Trump
stated on February 3, 2026 remarks in the Oval Office


Social Media
stated on February 8, 2026 social media posts





Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
stated on stated on November 17, 2025 in remarks at George Washington University:

Donald Trump
stated on February 2, 2026 an interview with Dan Bongino