The daily check-in

Trending, checked.

Twice a day we pull the posts going viral on TikTok, Instagram, X and Facebook and run them through the record. Each entry is a published verdict — what we found, why, and the sources behind it.

77 checks

Did Elon Musk spend more on American elections than George Soros?

X · 27,710 likes (syndication, 27 Oct); amplified on MS NOW's Morning Joe by Joe Scarborough 27 Oct

True But

The chart’s numeric comparison is supported by public campaign‑finance trackers and press reporting: using FEC/OpenSecrets/FollowTheMoney‑style tallies, Musk’s disclosed giving since 2024 is larger than the Soros total shown. The statement is accurate on those public trackers but requires a caveat because different methodologies (including nonprofit/grant transfers or undisclosed flows) can change the totals.

PoliticsEconomyView details→

Did Kylian Mbappé lose sponsorships over a remark about a Chinese dictator?

X · 6,018 likes on primary within about 3h (X syndication); Mbappé's apology post has 234,685 likes; El Chiringuito video post has 2,347 likes; wide pickup on 27 Oct (Infobae x2, El Español, Vozpópuli, El Espectador, Geo, Soy502, Minuto30); Google Trends MX 'mao zedong' 200+

True

A circulating interview clip shows Kylian Mbappé saying a meme depicted 'a Chinese dictator'; multiple reputable outlets report that Chinese companies Dongpeng and Mengniu announced they were cutting ties with Mbappé on Oct 27, 2026. The media appears authentic and the caption's claim is corroborated.

SportsEconomyView details→

Did Lula's victory cause a market collapse in Brazil?

X · 983 likes / 89 replies on the original; amplified by President Milei's repost (his first reaction to the result, ~20h after his last post) per Perfil, Urgente24, El Intransigente, Infobae, Ámbito 26 Oct

True But

The tweet mixes partisan opinion with a factual market claim. The market reaction claim is supported by multiple reputable financial reports showing sharp falls in the real, the Ibovespa, and Brazilian bond prices after Lula's surprise win; the characterization of left-leaning voters 'voting the same as prisoners' is a rhetorical generalisation that I could not substantiate with public data.

EconomyPoliticsView details→

Does Afghanistan have a railway connection to China with Iranian help?

X · 11,252 likes on primary (syndication, 27 Oct 02:3xZ); copies in English, Urdu, Turkish, Polish; Misbar fact-check 26 Oct (rated misleading: footage is 2024 China-Afghanistan freight launch)

Misleading

The video is likely authentic footage but dates to October 2024 and is being reused in October 2026 to claim a newly opened China–Afghanistan rail link 'with the help of Iranian engineering firms.' While direct freight trains to Afghanistan (Hairatan) have occurred since 2024 and were also reported in October 2026, the clip does not show the 2026 departure and there is no evidence the China–Afghanistan route shown was opened by Iranian firms or runs via Iran — the post is misleading.

EconomyTechnologyView details→

What economic claims did Trump make in his speech?

X · 761 likes / 96 replies on official White House rapid-response account (X syndication, 26 Oct); companion auto-investment clip 2,358 likes

True But

The video appears to show an authentic speech in which the speaker makes a series of national economic claims. Official sources confirm parts of the thread (Census: record real median household income in 2025 and a 2025 official poverty rate of 10.2%; BLS: record-high raw employment counts), but the statements omit important qualifiers (which income measure, raw counts vs. rates, monthly vs. annual export series).

PoliticsEconomyView details→

Did Abdul El-Sayed Claim Medicare For All Would Not Add to the Deficit?

X · 309 likes / 121 replies (X syndication, 26 Oct); embedded by Townhall

True But

The video is authentic and shows Abdul El-Sayed saying universal coverage could be implemented without adding to the deficit (he cites ending 'dumb wars' and reallocating spending). Cost estimates for Medicare-for-All vary widely; many credible analyses place federal costs in the tens of trillions over 10 years (commonly ~25–40T), so the post's claim that it would 'cost at least $40 trillion' overstates central estimates and labeling El-Sayed "lying" is misleading because financing choices determine whether the plan raises the deficit.

PoliticsHealthView details→

Did Trump say the U.S. is making a fortune amidst high gas prices?

X · 22,802 likes; Newsom quote-post 6,786 likes

True

The video is authentic rally footage and accurately captures Donald Trump saying, including the line 'We're making a freaking fortune' and 'I don't give a damn.' The quoted words match multiple published transcripts and news reports from Oct 24–25, 2026. Some numerical and causal claims in the speech ("hundreds of billions," causal attribution) are exaggerated or imprecise, so the content mixes factual elements with hyperbole.

PoliticsEconomyView details→

Will John Healey announce new HMRC powers to seize bank accounts?

X · 5,832 likes; wide UK pickup (Times, GB News, Express, Metro, Independent); Budget due 28 Oct

Misleading

Major UK outlets report John Healey plans to use the upcoming Autumn Budget to propose wider HMRC powers to recover unpaid tax directly from bank accounts. The Budget (scheduled for 28 October 2026) has not yet occurred, so the tweet's 'BREAKING' claim that he 'will announce at the Budget' is premature and presented in a misleading way until the official Budget statement is published.

EconomyPoliticsView details→

Is US taxpayer money sent to Ukraine laundered back to political campaigns?

X · 70,732 likes (parent post 251,428 likes); follow-up coverage 25 Oct in Bulgarian, Pakistani, Indian and Ukrainian outlets

Misleading

The post's claim that U.S. taxpayer money sent to Ukraine is laundered back to fund U.S. political campaigns is misleading. Credible fact-checkers and reporting find no evidence of a systematic scheme of U.S. aid being returned to fund U.S. campaigns; isolated past misconduct involving private foreign money is not the same thing.

PoliticsConflictView details→

Did Audi announce a $4 billion factory in Georgia?

X · 2,688 likes; wide pickup (Fox Business, AP wire, NY Post, Bloomberg)

True But

The video authentically records President Trump announcing Audi will build a major factory in Middle Georgia. Audi and Georgia officials confirm a roughly $4 billion investment and a design capacity of up to 200,000 vehicles, but several specific claims in the clip and caption (construction 'next month', 30,000 jobs, 'single largest investment', $40 billion total) are inaccurate or exaggerated.

EconomyPoliticsView details→

Did Pedro Sánchez claim one million homes were built recently?

X · Program clip 2.6K likes; broadcast drew 33.9% audience share; claim disputed by The Objective, OKDiario, Libertad Digital, El Debate, El Distrito, PP's Alberto Nadal (680,000 homes in 8 years); Newtral checked it (722,307 completed 2018-Q1 2026)

Misleading

The video is authentic RTVE footage of Pedro Sánchez's interview on La Revuelta broadcast on 22 October 2026. The segment legitimately discusses the housing crisis, but Sánchez's numeric claims that 'one million homes have been built in recent years' and that 13% of them are protected are not supported by ministry/observatory data and are misleading.

PoliticsEconomyView details→

Did Sabrina Brizzola claim Italy has achieved substantial recovery in early school leaving?

X · 5,153 likes on the clip (X syndication, 23 Oct); 'sabrina brizzola' 500+ on Google Trends IT; Repubblica, Corriere, Il Fatto, Fanpage coverage

True But

A genuine Porta a Porta clip shows Sabrina Brizzola, coordinator of the Unione degli Universitari, making claims about Italy's reduction in early school leaving and scholarship coverage and being interrupted by host Bruno Vespa; the broadcast and the on‑air admonishment are confirmed, while the student's statistical wording is partly supported but some specific claims (notably the assertion that Italy is uniquely failing to cover all scholarships) are exaggerations or misleading.

PoliticsEconomyView details→

Did Yolanda Díaz say she found out about SMI taxation through the press?

X · 1,843 likes (X syndication, 23 Oct); 'smi' 1000+ on Google Trends ES; El País, RTVE, LaSexta, ABC coverage; ministers rebutted

True

The video is authentic footage of the post–Council of Ministers press conference on 11 February 2025 where Yolanda Díaz said she 'found out through the press' about the SMI taxation and Pilar Alegría denied that account; multiple reputable Spanish outlets and the La Moncloa transcript corroborate the exchange.

EconomyPoliticsView details→

What did Rupert Lowe say about the near-blackout on June 23?

X · 5,331 likes per X syndication 23 Oct; Times 21 Oct 'Grid operator accused of cover-up over near-blackout'; Spectator 20 Oct 'How close did Britain come to a blackout in June?'; Tice calls NESO whistleblowing report a 'whitewash' (319 likes)

True

The video is authentic and shows MP Rupert Lowe calling for an independent, engineer-led review into system stress on 23 June 2026. Official regulator pages and parliamentary records confirm system stress during the week of 22–26 June and ongoing NESO/Ofgem reviews and a whistleblower investigation, supporting the post’s claim.

EconomyEnvironmentView details→

Is more oil transiting through the Hormuz Strait than prior to the conflict?

X · 7.2K likes per X syndication 23 Oct; Trump Truth 22 Oct 15:40Z; carried by Iran International, Arab News, ZeroHedge; IRGC claims 7 vessels hit, UKMTO logs record attacks in October, Brent ~$112-113.

Misleading

An official White House X graphic reproduces a post claiming more oil is transiting the Strait of Hormuz now than before the conflict and that 75,000 protesters were killed. Industry shipping data and reporting do not support the broad oil-flow claim as stated, and human-rights monitoring groups have documented thousands (not 75,000) of protest-related deaths; the post therefore mixes factual elements with misleading or unsupported numerical assertions.

ConflictEconomyView details→

Did the Houthis carry out strikes in Saudi Arabia on October 22, 2026?

X · Syndication 22 Oct 14:40Z: 3,811 likes, 280 replies, video statement; claim relayed by JFeed/Reuters wording, Masrawy, Khaberni, 26sep.net, Opinya Times on 22 Oct. JFeed: Saudi authorities have not confirmed the Defense Ministry or Yanbu hits; coalition says only that it intercepted drones over Riya

True But

The video is an authentic Houthi military statement in which spokesman Yahya Saree claims multiple strikes inside Saudi Arabia on Oct 21–22, 2026. Independent reporting by major outlets confirms attacks on Saudi airports and energy infrastructure in that timeframe and reports casualties and some fires/damage, but several specific 'direct hit' claims in the statement are only partially corroborated by publicly available sources.

ConflictEconomyView details→

Did Trump promise to settle Camp Lejeune claims if Republicans win?

X · 2,809 likes on the clip (syndication, 22 Oct); TNR live-blog item 'Trump Tries to Sway Voters With Threat to Veterans' (21 Oct)

True But

The video is authentic rally footage. It shows Donald Trump promising to direct the DOJ to settle remaining Camp Lejeune claims if Republicans keep control of Congress and saying 'if we don't win, there's no money.' Multiple reputable outlets reported and quoted the remarks. The broader factual claims about exact dollar amounts (the '$1 billion' and '$3.3 billion' lines) are not fully corroborated by available DOJ/VA accounting in this search window and appear to be at least partly exaggerated or imprecise.

PoliticsHealthView details→

Is Kroger cutting jobs to replace workers with AI?

Facebook · Snopes 20 Oct says readers asked about social posts; CEO memo on 3,000 corporate cuts widely reported

True But

Reporting from Reuters, Bloomberg and other reputable outlets confirms Kroger will eliminate roughly 3,000 corporate roles over the next three years. News accounts say the plan accompanies an expansion of AI and other technology to streamline workflows, but describing the cuts as simply "so AI can do the work instead" is an oversimplification of the company's stated reasons.

EconomyTechnologyView details→

Did JD Vance say 20% of American refining capacity went offline under Biden?

X · 44,069 likes on clip (syndication); PolitiFact rated the claim 19 Oct

False

The video is an authentic clip from a CBS town hall. The specific claim that 'about 20% of American refining capacity went offline when Joe Biden was president' is false: national refinery capacity did not fall by ~20%, and fact-checkers and EIA data contradict that figure.

PoliticsEconomyView details→

Did Vincent Jeanbrun announce deductions from social benefits?

X · 2,562 likes, 632 replies (X syndication, 20 Oct); headline story in Le Figaro and Valeurs actuelles (both embed the post); Figaro debate piece on 20 Oct

True But

The minister Vincent Jeanbrun's X post accurately reflects a government announcement: reporters (RMC, Le Journal du Dimanche, RTL and others) say an interministerial circulaire dated 19 October 2026 was issued (or announced) with Gérald Darmanin to allow imputation of illicit gains on the calculation of social benefits. The core claim is confirmed, though precise legal scope and implementation remain subject to clarification and possible legal challenge.

PoliticsEconomyView details→

Did Scott Bessent say Trump was tough on Russian sanctions?

YouTube · NBC News YouTube full interview 74,615 views (page data, published 18 Oct); Daily Caller, The Hill, Kyiv Independent, HuffPost coverage 18-19 Oct

True But

The post accurately reports that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said "no one has been tougher on Russian sanctions than President Trump." Bessent is correct that the administration designated Rosneft and Lukoil in October 2025, but his categorical claim that "no sanctions were lifted" is contradicted by reporting that the president used a statutory waiver in mid-October 2026 to put a new sanctions/tariff package on hold.

PoliticsEconomyView details→

Did Trump say New Mexico should change its name to New America?

X · @SenSanders 5,635 likes, 368 replies within ~4.5h (X syndication); embedded by Iran International liveblog; responds to Trump's 'New America' rename post

True But

The underlying statement that President Trump called for New Mexico to be renamed 'New America' is confirmed by multiple news outlets (posted October 19, 2026). The attached image is a repackaged screenshot presented as an X/Twitter post, but reporting indicates the original post appeared on Truth Social, so the image is partially manipulated. Sanders' caption mixes that factual element with political opinion (calling the war 'illegal') and unverified fuel-price figures that were not confirmed in the retrieved sources.

EconomyPoliticsView details→

Did Iran burn another oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz?

X · @A7DATH_78 post: 432 likes (X syndication, 20 Oct 02:46Z); same clip spread by Iranian agencies Tasnim and Fars and by @alahvaziran (69 likes), @MohamadShamass, @ALI_ALKAML13; Misbar AR and EN checks 19 Oct

Misleading

The video plausibly shows a burning ship, and reputable outlets report that tankers caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz around Oct 17, 2026; but the caption's claim that "Iran burned another oil tanker" is misleading: Iran's own statements described mines/accidents and earlier versions of similar footage predate the conflict, so the post overstates attribution and may reuse old video.

ConflictEconomyView details→

Will Elon Musk give one of his SpaceX shares to every kid in America?

X · 344,662 likes, 21,967 replies (X syndication, checked 19 Oct)

Can't Verify

Elon Musk posted on X on Oct. 19, 2026 that he "will give one of [his] SpaceX shares to every kid in America" next year; multiple major news outlets reported and quoted the post. The statement is a pledge of future action and cannot be confirmed as completed now.

EconomyTechnologyView details→