FactCheck.org's Weekly Update

In criticizing California for how it has managed its water supplies, President Donald Trump falsely said that residents “very shortly” will “get 50 gallons” of water to use a day. That’s a distortion of two state water laws, which set efficiency targets for water agencies, not individuals. 

Facing a declining stock market and criticism from Democrats, President Donald Trump and other officials have minimized the risks of the coronavirus to the U.S. and given inaccurate and misleading information about the new virus.

In an interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity, newly crowned coronavirus point man Mike Pence spun the facts in claiming he moved decisively when confronted with a disturbing HIV outbreak in a rural Indiana county when he was governor of the state.

Former Vice President Joe Biden made a series of false and misleading statements on guns and crime during a CNN town hall in Charleston, South Carolina on Feb. 26.

A misleading television ad from the Committee to Defend the President falsely suggests that former President Barack Obama is criticizing his former vice president, Joe Biden, for his racial attitudes.

In this video, we examine three claims from the Feb. 25 Democratic presidential debate in South Carolina.

Former Vice President Joe Biden distorted the facts in two interviews in the wake of the Nevada caucuses, claiming Sen. Bernie Sanders “was opposed to Obamacare” (Sanders voted for it) and that Biden never labeled South Carolina as his campaign’s “firewall” (he did).

An ad misleads when it claims that Sen. Bernie Sanders “helped turn neighborhoods like ours into a toxic waste dumping ground.” Sanders did support a bill that could have resulted in nuclear waste being placed near a poor, minority town in Texas, but the state ultimately rejected that location.

A viral meme falsely claims that Sen. Bernie Sanders received only 3,444 votes in the Nevada caucuses. He actually won 41,075 votes — more than twice as many as any other Democratic candidate.

A meme circulating on Facebook claims without evidence that Hillary Clinton has made $95.5 million since she ran for president in 2016, and falsely implies that she and former President Barack Obama enriched themselves by “steal[ing] your money.”

A doctored image spread on Facebook erroneously shows former President Barack Obama giving Harvey Weinstein the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The actual photo showed Obama bestowing the honor upon former Vice President Joe Biden.

A viral meme falsely claims Sen. Bernie Sanders “supported” Iran during the 1979 hostage crisis and “accused” the hostages of “being CIA spies.” Sanders was affiliated with a political party that criticized U.S. policy on Iran, but there’s no evidence he expressed those beliefs.

In another feisty affair, the Democrats traded barbs over contested quotes, crime and Castro. We referee some of the rhetoric.