Category: Not Factual

Patel Claims FBI Has Evidence 2020 Election Stolen

FBI Director Kash Patel claimed during a Fox News interview that he possesses evidence supporting Donald Trump’s false assertion that the 2020 election was stolen, promising to reveal information “this week.” Patel stated, “We have the information that backs President Trump’s claim,” without specifying what evidence exists or providing any documentation to substantiate the allegation.

Patel’s statements came as he faced damaging allegations published by The Atlantic regarding his conduct as FBI director, including reports of excessive drinking at Washington, D.C. clubs and his home city of Las Vegas, as well as paranoia about being fired. The article alleged his behavior violates FBI conduct standards and could leave him vulnerable to coercion or exploitation. Patel announced he would file a defamation lawsuit against the magazine and attacked the reporting as “fake news” on social media.

Trump has consistently promoted the lie that he lost the 2020 election to Joe Biden through fraud despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary. His former personal attorney Rudy Giuliani lost multiple court cases attempting to prove wrongdoing, and Trump’s lies inspired the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol, during which his supporters attempted to prevent congressional certification of the election results. More than 1,500 insurrectionists were prosecuted, though Trump pardoned them in 2025 after reclaiming office.

Patel’s pattern of weaponizing the FBI against political opponents reflects broader administration efforts to abuse law enforcement institutions. Michigan state officials are currently resisting DOJ attempts to seize Detroit-area ballots from the 2024 election, with Attorney General Dana Nessel accusing the administration of attempting to sow doubt about electoral integrity ahead of midterm elections.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended Patel’s leadership, claiming crime has “plummeted to the lowest level in more than 100 years” under his direction and calling him “a critical player on the administration’s law and order team.” Journalist Sarah Fitzpatrick, who authored The Atlantic report, told CNN she stands by her reporting and noted that White House insiders routinely discuss Patel’s potential removal from office.

(Source: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/kash-patel-2020-election-trump-b2960883.html)

Trump Claims Credit for Ending Wars He Started

Trump claimed at a Turning Point USA event in Arizona that he has ended ten wars, adding Iran and Lebanon to his previous list of eight. Trump stated, “If we add Iran and Lebanon, that will be 10 wars ended, and many, many millions of lives. Think of how many lives we have saved.” The State Department previously promoted this claim in October 2025, and Trump repeated it during a November 60 Minutes interview with CBS News’s Norah O’Donnell, pulling a written list from his pocket to enumerate conflicts he said he resolved through tariff threats.

CNN fact-checker Daniel Dale documented that Trump’s list contains fabricated or mischaracterized claims. The list includes a diplomatic dispute between Egypt and Ethiopia that was not a war, an undefined situation between Serbia and Kosovo that also was not a war, and the war in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, which has not ended despite a Trump administration-brokered peace agreement that was never signed by the rebel group leading the fighting. Trump falsely attributes credit for resolving conflicts that either did not occur as wars or remain active despite his claimed interventions.

Most significantly, Trump initiated one of the wars he now claims to have ended. Trump ordered U.S. strikes on Iran that began in June 2025 and escalated into major military action with Israel starting in February 2026. By claiming credit for ending a conflict he himself started, Trump demonstrates the disinformation central to his broader pattern of threatening war crimes against Iran while simultaneously portraying himself as a peacemaker.

Trump’s methodology for claiming war resolution relies on unsubstantiated assertions about his negotiating power. During his 60 Minutes appearance, he claimed he resolved disputes by threatening tariffs, stating, “I said, in many cases, in 60% I said, ‘If you don’t stop fighting, I’m putting tariffs on both of your countries.'” No evidence supports these claims, and many of the conflicts on his list predate his presidency or have continued regardless of his stated involvement.

Trump has repeatedly invoked the “eight wars” claim throughout his presidency to build his political brand as a peacemaker. This pattern of fabrication demonstrates abuse of power through the weaponization of false narratives to reshape his public image, diverting attention from actual military escalations he has ordered and supported.

(Source: https://www.mediaite.com/media/news/trump-proactively-claims-credit-for-ending-two-more-wars-one-of-which-he-started/)

Trump signs executive order accelerating research into psychedelic drug therapies despite known deaths

President Donald Trump signed an executive order on April 18, 2026, to accelerate federal approval and research of psychedelic drug therapies, particularly ibogaine, for treating PTSD, depression, and addiction. Trump announced the order in the Oval Office alongside Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Dr. Mehmet Oz, and podcaster Joe Rogan, framing the initiative as benefiting veterans with severe mental health conditions.

Ibogaine remains classified as a Schedule 1 controlled substance with limited human research and documented serious safety risks, including potentially fatal heart arrhythmias, neurological complications, and gastrointestinal side effects. The Drug Enforcement Agency designates it as having high abuse potential and no currently accepted medical use, though Trump claimed the order would eliminate “unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles” in the approval process.

Psilocybin, found in psychedelic mushrooms, has stronger clinical evidence than ibogaine for treating depression and received FDA Breakthrough Therapy designation for treatment-resistant cases. A Nature Medicine review of 12 studies showed psilocybin combined with psychotherapy produced response rates nearly three times higher and remission rates approximately four times higher than control groups, though long-term safety data and real-world effectiveness remain uncertain.

MDMA, used for PTSD treatment, failed to gain FDA approval in 2024 despite its Breakthrough designation due to concerns over clinical trial conduct, inconsistent results, and safety issues requiring additional research. The executive order directs the FDA to expedite review of psychedelics already designated as breakthrough therapy drugs and provides expedited rescheduling for any psychedelics later approved by the FDA for medical treatment.

Kennedy, who has criticized antidepressants and conventional mental health therapies, influenced the executive order through direct advocacy to Trump. Researchers emphasize that psychedelic treatments require careful medical supervision in controlled settings, with major safety concerns and limited data on long-term effects, even as early studies focus on severe, treatment-resistant mental health conditions.

(Source: https://abcnews.com/Health/trump-signs-executive-order-accelerating-research-psychedelic-drug/story?id=132171927)

Billionaire Trump hasn’t heard of a ‘corner store’ and laments poorer people ‘don’t think in terms of deductions’ at tax event | The Independent

During a Thursday tax event in Las Vegas, President Donald Trump demonstrated a disconnect from working-class experience when he claimed unfamiliarity with the term “corner store,” despite asserting he understands the concept. Trump questioned who wrote the phrase into his remarks, suggesting surprise at its usage in a discussion framed around Republican tax policy.

Trump asserted that wealthy individuals consistently seek tax deductions while suggesting middle-class and poor people fail to think strategically about deductions. This statement contradicts the reality that lower-income households often lack sufficient deductions to benefit from itemization and typically rely on standard deductions, revealing Trump’s misunderstanding of how taxation functions across income levels.

Trump claimed the current economy exceeds his first-term performance “despite our little diversion to the lovely country of Iran,” referring to military conflict he initiated in the Middle East. The Iran conflict has disrupted the Strait of Hormuz shipping lane, causing national average gas prices to surge to $4.09 per gallon from $2.92 before the war began, with Nevada prices approaching $5 per gallon according to AAA data.

Despite acknowledging the war’s economic impact, Trump labeled war-driven inflation as “fake inflation” and told reporters gas prices “are not very high” while highlighting stock market gains. The International Monetary Fund has warned the conflict could trigger global recession, undermining Trump’s claims about economic superiority.

Trump revealed market sensitivity to his rhetoric by stating his statements make “the whole market go a little jittery” and instructing Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to “clean it for me” after his comments. Trump reported approximately 50 percent of American tax-filers utilized new tax policies and roughly five million people have established “Trump account” savings pools for children.

(Source: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-tax-las-vegas-corner-store-inflation-iran-b2959483.html)

Hegseth scolds reporters as ‘Pharisees’ in fire-and-brimstone Iran war briefing after Trump-as-Jesus furor | The Independent

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth used a Pentagon briefing on Iran operations on Thursday to attack journalists, comparing them to biblical Pharisees with “hardened hearts” who reject truth. Hegseth claimed the press exhibits “relentlessly negative coverage” and “unpatriotic” bias while refusing to acknowledge what he described as the “historic and important success” of U.S. military efforts and an emerging deal to address Iran’s nuclear program.

Hegseth’s attack centered on a Sunday church sermon about Pharisees witnessing Jesus heal a man, which he said paralleled journalists documenting military operations without recognizing their significance. He accused reporters of being “politically motivated” and “Trump hating,” stating their focus on negative coverage rather than military achievements proves they function as adversaries rather than observers of fact. Hegseth also attacked what he called “fake news” for failing to cover recruitment surges and national morale he attributed to Trump administration policies.

The defense secretary’s press conference assault on journalists reflects his ongoing hostility toward media access at the Pentagon, including attempts to restrict reporters from workspace designated for their use for decades. His tenure has been marked by repeated diatribes against the press during briefings conducted with Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair General Dan Caine, establishing a pattern of blaming journalists for insufficient support of administration military operations.

Hegseth’s invocation of religious imagery to attack the press mirrors Trump’s recent posting of AI-generated images depicting himself as Jesus, which drew backlash even from conservative allies before Trump deleted and later reposted similar content. Pope Leo XIV responded with a statement condemning those who “manipulate religion and the very name of God for their own military, economic, and political gain,” appearing to directly reference the administration’s use of religious rhetoric to justify military action.

The briefing underscores the Trump administration’s systematic attack on press freedom amid broader military escalation against Iran, with officials employing religious language and accusations of disloyalty to delegitimize journalistic scrutiny of war policy. Hegseth’s comparison of reporters to biblical antagonists represents an escalation in the administration’s framing of independent journalism as an obstacle to military objectives rather than a constitutional safeguard.

(Source: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/hegseth-iran-war-briefing-press-ai-photos-b2959018.html)

Hegseth Reads Fake Bible Verse from Pulp Fiction

Pentagon Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth recited a fabricated Bible verse during a prayer service at the Department of Defense on Wednesday, presenting it as an authentic scripture passage. Hegseth introduced the text as a prayer used by military pilots during a rescue mission in Iran, claiming it was titled “CSAR 25:17” in reference to the biblical book of Ezekiel. He urged attendees to pray along with him as he delivered the passage aloud.

The text Hegseth read closely mirrors a fake version of Ezekiel 25:17 quoted by actor Samuel L. Jackson in Quentin Tarantino’s 1994 film “Pulp Fiction,” which Jackson’s character recites before committing violence. The actual Ezekiel 25:17 from the King James Bible contains only a brief passage about vengeance and divine judgment, bearing minimal similarity to the elaborate text Hegseth presented. Tarantino himself had sourced the fabricated verse from a 1970s Japanese martial arts film.

Hegseth’s misrepresentation of the scripture was flagged by A Public Witness, a religion-focused publication, after the Pentagon prayer service. The Secretary of Defense presented the Pulp Fiction dialogue as a genuine military prayer recited before combat search and rescue missions, falsely attributing sacred authority to entertainment industry fiction. This lie demonstrates a troubling disregard for religious authenticity and public trust in military leadership.

(Source: https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/pray-please-pete-hegseth-reads-114001144.html)

Trump believes diet soda kills cancer cells, Dr Oz reveals | Donald Trump | The Guardian

Trump claimed to Mehmet Oz, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services chief, that diet soda kills cancer cells because it can kill grass when poured on it, suggesting the logic applies to cancer cells in the human body. Oz recounted the exchange on his son Donald Trump Jr.’s podcast “Triggered with Don Jr,” describing a moment aboard Air Force One when Trump defended his consumption of orange Fanta by making this assertion, later joking that the drink could not be unhealthy because it is “fresh squeezed.”

Multiple physicians publicly rejected Trump’s claim, emphasizing that no scientific evidence supports the notion that diet soda prevents or cures cancer. Pediatrician Zachary Rubin pointed out the logical fallacy in Trump’s reasoning, noting that by the same standard, bleach would be a superfood, and he referenced Trump’s pandemic-era suggestions about injecting disinfectants as evidence of similar flawed health reasoning. Emergency physician Owais Durrani issued a straightforward statement that diet soda does not kill cancer cells.

The scientific evidence on artificial sweeteners in diet soda is limited and concerning but does not support Trump’s claims. The International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies aspartame, the sweetener used in most diet sodas, as “possibly carcinogenic to humans” based on limited evidence, while a 2022 French cohort study found aspartame linked to a 15 percent higher cancer risk without establishing causation. Research also indicates that artificial sweeteners may harm gut health and microbial diversity, contradicting any protective effect.

Trump has consistently defended his diet of sweet drinks and fast food as part of his health regimen, with Oz characterizing his approach as eating junk food from major chains due to their quality control standards. Don Jr. suggested his father’s consumption habits might reflect something beneficial, citing Trump’s energy and stamina despite his age, effectively endorsing disproven health claims.

These remarks emerge as the health department works to update U.S. nutrition guidelines and revise dietary recommendations to emphasize “real food,” making Trump’s promotion of diet soda particularly problematic at a moment when federal health policy is being reshaped. The incident underscores the administration’s broader push toward alternative medicine narratives that prioritize unscientific claims over established medical consensus.

(Source: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/apr/15/trump-diet-coke-soda-kills-cancer)

Trump Posts Another AI-Generated Image of Jesus

President Donald Trump posted an AI-generated image depicting Jesus Christ and himself standing side-by-side on Wednesday, with Jesus placing his arm around the president. The image included text suggesting God is “playing his Trump card” to expose “satanic, demonic, child sacrificing monsters,” language Trump used to mock opponents he labeled “Radical Left Lunatics.” This post came days after Trump deleted a previous AI image showing himself as Jesus healing a sick man, which drew fierce backlash even from Republican party members.

When initially confronted about the deleted image, Trump lied about its content, claiming he believed it depicted him as a “doctor” rather than acknowledging the religious comparison. He blamed “fake news” for the controversy surrounding the original post. Instead of accepting criticism, Trump escalated by posting the second image while explicitly mocking those who objected to his previous religious imagery.

Trump’s repeated posting of AI-generated religious content depicting himself alongside Jesus reflects his use of disinformation and inflammatory rhetoric to provoke his supporters and dismiss legitimate criticism. The caption text, invoking conspiracy theories about child sacrifice, demonstrates Trump’s willingness to amplify unfounded and dangerous narratives to justify his own behavior and attack his opponents.

(Source: https://www.mediaite.com/politics/trump-posts-another-ai-generate-image-of-jesus-to-spite-radical-left-lunatics/)

Trump Deletes Jesus Image, Claims It Showed Him As Doctor

President Donald Trump deleted a Truth Social post featuring an AI-generated image depicting him as Jesus Christ, claiming the image was meant to show him as a doctor. Trump posted the image Sunday night after attacking Pope Leo XIV for criticizing U.S. military actions against Iran and Venezuela, showing himself in a white robe with a glowing hand healing a sick person, flanked by American flags and military aircraft.

When confronted by reporters at the White House, Trump denied the religious imagery interpretation, stating "I thought it was me as a doctor" related to Red Cross work and his claimed ability to make people better. Trump dismissed the backlash as "fake news" invention, insisting the image represented medical healing rather than religious symbolism.

Conservative Christian commentator Megan Basham called the image "OUTRAGEOUS blasphemy" and demanded Trump remove it and seek forgiveness from Americans and God. Former Republican congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, once an ally of Trump, denounced the post on X, writing that Trump attacked the Pope on Orthodox Easter and then "posted this picture of himself as if he is replacing Jesus," declaring she would "completely denounce this and I'm praying against it."

Vice President JD Vance defended Trump's post as a joke the president recognized people misunderstood, characterizing Trump's unfiltered social media use as a positive attribute. This incident follows a May 2025 post where Trump shared an image of himself as a Catholic pope after Pope Francis's death, prompting the New York State Catholic Conference to condemn the image as unmock-worthy during the papal conclave.

(Source: https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2026/04/13/trump-jesus-truth-social-pope-leo.html)

Trump Officials Assumed USAID Just Did Abortions

Trump administration officials tasked with dismantling USAID in 2025 demonstrated profound ignorance of the agency’s actual functions, according to a new book by Nicholas Enrich, the agency’s acting assistant administrator for global health. During a February 5, 2025 meeting at USAID headquarters, official Joe Borkert and his team admitted they had assumed the agency “just did abortions,” revealing that Elon Musk’s cost-cutting operation DOGE had targeted the organization without understanding its humanitarian mission. Musk had previously called USAID a “criminal organization” and “radical-left political psy op” based on disinformation.

Enrich described to the Trump officials how USAID tackled emerging pandemics, diagnosed and treated tuberculosis, malaria, and HIV, and immunized millions of children against deadly diseases. His explanation prompted stunned silence before Borkert confessed his assumption about the agency’s work. A White House liaison then suggested that drug-resistant tuberculosis was too complex for non-health professionals and proposed simplifying it to “Super TB” and creating maps resembling the film “Outbreak” to visualize disease spread, treating public health crises as entertainment concepts.

When Enrich pressed the importance of USAID’s malaria response efforts, which DOGE had just shut down at the cost of thousands of jobs, even Borkert expressed frustration, saying “just because it might work at Twitter does not mean you can do it here.” Despite this acknowledgment, he ordered the USAID team to implement draconian cuts, retaining only first-priority programs and discarding second, third, and fourth-tier priorities, including lifesaving maternal health interventions designed to prevent pregnancy-related deaths.

Enrich and his colleagues left the meeting deeply disturbed, concluding that the Trump administration officials making decisions with real-world consequences “were not real policymakers, but impostors, sitting in big chairs and pretending to grapple with complex issues that required teams of experts, who they had just off-loaded.” The episode exemplifies the abuse of power and reckless dismantling of critical global health infrastructure driven by ideological cost-cutting rather than informed policy analysis.

(Source: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-administration-usaid-whistleblower-b2957508.html)

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