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The truth about the 2016 presidential campaign

National
Candidate Shake Tight
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, left, shakes hands with Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton during the first presidential debate at Hofstra University, Monday, Sept. 26, 2016, in Hempstead, N.Y. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci)
Aaron Sharockman
By Aaron Sharockman
September 26, 2016

We’ve fact-checked Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton more than 400 times combined since they announced their candidacies for president. See their records on PolitiFact’s Truth-O-Meter below.

Our Sources

Listed inside the story.

Browse the Truth-O-Meter

More by Aaron Sharockman
Instagram posts
Instagram posts
stated on November 1, 2024 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
Threads posts
stated on October 29, 2024 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
Viral image
stated on August 5, 2021 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
Facebook posts
stated on June 21, 2021 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
Bloggers
stated on October 7, 2020 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
Jason MIller
stated on October 4, 2020 comments on ABC's "This Week":
Says Joe Biden stays in his basement.
False
By Aaron Sharockman • October 4, 2020
Facebook posts
Facebook posts
stated on August 14, 2020 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
Facebook posts
stated on June 30, 2020 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
Facebook posts
stated on June 24, 2020 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
Facebook posts
stated on June 12, 2020 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
X posts
stated on February 29, 2020 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
Viral image
stated on February 29, 2020 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
Amy Klobuchar
stated on December 20, 2019 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
Facebook posts
stated on October 29, 2018 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
Bloggers
stated on February 7, 2018 a blog post:
"FBI RAIDS OBAMA – Find Massive Secret That Was Hidden For YEARS."
False
By Aaron Sharockman • March 30, 2018

The truth about the 2016 presidential campaign

Clear
TikTok posts
TikTok posts
stated on una publicación en TikTok:
Estas imágenes no son de personas infectadas con el hantavirus, fueron sacadas de contexto
False
By Maria Briceño • May 13, 2026
Donald Trump
Donald Trump
stated on on May 7, 2026 in remarks to reporters:
Trump is wrong: Gas prices have reached near record highs, not ‘come down very substantially’
False
May 11, 2026
Liz Krueger
Liz Krueger
stated on March 5, 2026 an op-ed:
Proposed data centers in New York state would use “approximately double the energy usage of all households in the state combined.”
Mostly False
By Conor Amendola, Ryan Lombardi • May 7, 2026
X posts
X posts
stated on May 6, 2026 a social media post:
“California only has ‘enough’ oil and gas supply to meet demand for the next six weeks.”
False
By Louis Jacobson • May 7, 2026
Donald Trump
Donald Trump
stated on May 4, 2026 a White House event:
“Consumer confidence is way up."
False
By Louis Jacobson • May 6, 2026
Sam Sutton
Sam Sutton
stated on March 11, 2026 a rally:
From January 2025 to January 2026, “hate crimes in New York City increased by 152%”
Mostly True
By Emma Gavazzi • May 5, 2026
Fentrice Driskell
Fentrice Driskell
stated on April 29, 2026 an interview:
“Under federal law, you cannot engage in partisan gerrymandering.”
False
By Samantha Putterman • May 1, 2026
Instagram posts
Instagram posts
stated on April 26, 2026 una publicación en Instagram:
Imagen muestra que “950 inmigrantes derrumbaron el muro fronterizo entre México y Estados Unidos intentando ingresar a Estados Unidos” en abril 2026.
False
By Maria Briceño • April 30, 2026
Bernie Sanders
Bernie Sanders
stated on April 22, 2026 a Senate committee hearing:
“As a result of the 'Big Beautiful Bill' 15 million Americans have been thrown off the healthcare that they need."
Mostly False
By Amy Sherman • April 30, 2026
Tim Scott
Tim Scott
stated on April 26, 2026 an X post:
“Secret Service remains unpaid” during the partial government shutdown.
False
By Louis Jacobson • April 29, 2026
Pine Tree Results PAC
Pine Tree Results PAC
stated on April 26, 2026 an ad:
“Graham Platner blames Maine’s women for getting raped because he says they get f----- up drunk"
Half-True
By Amy Sherman • April 29, 2026
Social Media
Social Media
stated on April 26, 2026 social media posts:
Video shows “unedited raw security footage” of the shooter at the April 25 White House Correspondents’ Association dinner.
False
By Maria Briceño • April 29, 2026
Donald Trump
Donald Trump
stated on April 23, 2026 remarks at the White House:
“We are right now producing more oil than Saudi Arabia and Russia combined.”
Mostly True
By Louis Jacobson • April 29, 2026
Ron DeSantis
Ron DeSantis
stated on April 27, 2026 an interview with Fox News Digital:
Since the 2020 census, Florida has "moved from a Democrat majority to a 1.5 million Republican advantage."
Half-True
By Louis Jacobson, Samantha Putterman • April 29, 2026
Social Media
Social Media
stated on April 26, 2026 publicaciones en redes sociales:
“Tras el atentado a Trump”, en la cena de corresponsales de la Casa Blanca el 25 de abril, “Irán lanza un mensaje fuerte: ‘no le crean nada, miente’”.
False
By Maria Briceño • April 28, 2026
Jay Collins
Jay Collins
stated on April 20, 2026 a campaign document:
U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds voted "against three pay raises for military service members, including the largest pay raise for the military in 22 years."
Mostly False
By Samantha Putterman • April 23, 2026
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
stated on April 22, 2026 testimony to the Senate Finance Committee:
"There's two ways of calculating percentage" decreases. “If you have a $600 drug and you reduce it to $10, that's a 600% reduction."
Pants on Fire!
By Louis Jacobson • April 23, 2026
Joe Rogan
Joe Rogan
stated on April 18, 2026 comments at the Oval Office:
“With one dose of ibogaine, more than 80% of people are free of (opioid) addiction. With two doses, it's more than 90%.”
Mostly False
By Grace Abels • April 22, 2026
X posts
X posts
stated on April 21, 2026 an X post:
“Newly released FOIA door logs show that former President Joe Biden didn't enter the Oval Office once after the 2024 election.”
Pants on Fire!
By Maria Briceño • April 22, 2026
Chris Wright
Chris Wright
stated on April 19, 2026 an interview on CNN's "State of the Union":
Solar and wind have not reached “3% of global energy.”
Half-True
By Louis Jacobson • April 22, 2026
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