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Live fact-checking the first 2020 presidential debate: Donald Trump vs. Joe Biden

Elections National
Fact-checking debate politifact logo
(Jillian Banner/Poynter)
By PolitiFact Staff
September 29, 2020

UPDATE: See our fact-checks from the first debate here. 

PolitiFact, winner of the Pulitzer Prize, has been fact-checking presidential politics since 2007 and has rated more than 18,000 individual claims on our Truth-O-Meter.

Follow along below for our live coverage. PolitiFact is also partnering with WRAL, our PolitiFact North Carolina affiliate, to present a live video stream with live fact-checking. If you prefer to stream the debate live, click here.

This page will update automatically.

Our Sources

Listed in the live feed.

Browse the Truth-O-Meter

More by PolitiFact Staff
Donald Trump
Donald Trump
stated on December 8, 2021 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
Louise Slaughter
stated on September 5, 2017 a tweet:
Rescinding the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program "will harm our economy."
True
By PolitiFact Staff • September 10, 2017
Bloggers
Bloggers
stated on March 2, 2017 a headline:
"Doctors who discovered cancer enzymes in vaccines all found murdered."
Pants on Fire!
By PolitiFact Staff • April 4, 2017
David Menchetti
David Menchetti
stated on November 28, 2016 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
Kasim Reed
stated on September 16, 2016 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
Kasim Reed
stated on November 17, 2015 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
NextGen Climate Action Committee
stated on August 8, 2014 a campaign ad:
Says Rick Scott "is letting Duke (Energy) keep collecting billions" despite troubled power plants.
Half-True
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Georgia Department of Transportation
Georgia Department of Transportation
stated on July 19, 2011 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
Republican National Committee
stated on June 5, 2008 in a news release:
Obama couldn't have afforded his home without Rezko's help.
False
By PolitiFact Staff • June 17, 2008

Live fact-checking the first 2020 presidential debate: Donald Trump vs. Joe Biden

Clear
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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
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Bernie Sanders
Bernie Sanders
stated on April 22, 2026 a Senate committee hearing:
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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
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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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