FactCheck.org's Weekly Update

A popular Instagram post falsely claims “over 1,100 people died from reactions to the [flu] shot” in 2018, and suggests that the immunization gave some children polio. The flu vaccine cannot give anyone polio and there is no evidence to support the 1,100 figure.

FactCheck.org Director Eugene Kiely appeared Oct. 11 on “Politics with Amy Walter,” a podcast produced by Public Radio International and WNYC.

In announcing “phase one” of a tentative trade deal with China, President Donald Trump wrongly stated that the “all-time high” for U.S. agricultural exports to China was “$16 or $17 billion.” Actually, it was nearly $26 billion in 2012.

In this video, we highlight several claims made by some of the candidates in the Oct.15 Democratic presidential debate.

In May 2018, three Democratic senators wrote to the Ukrainian prosecutor general, asking about a report that he had frozen four Ukrainian investigations involving Paul Manafort to avoid angering President Donald Trump. Republicans have called the letter a “threat” to withhold support for aid to Ukraine, saying it’s similar to what critics have charged Trump did.

Social media lit up with a false claim that President Donald Trump referred to Italian President Sergio Mattarella as “President Mozzarella.” The transcripts and videos prove he didn’t.

Social media posts falsely claim that former President Barack Obama signed a bill that made it permissible for “the media” to get “away with lying.” The bill had no bearing on private media outlets or what they can report.

A popular Instagram post falsely claims “over 1,100 people died from reactions to the [flu] shot” in 2018, and suggests that the immunization gave some children polio. The flu vaccine cannot give anyone polio and there is no evidence to support the 1,100 figure.

Facebook posts in support of President Donald Trump’s 2020 reelection erroneously claim that former President Thomas Jefferson once said “the government will one day be corrupt and filled with liars, and the people will flock to the one who tells the truth.” A Jefferson Library researcher includes it in a list of “spurious quotations.”

An online story says House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff “are both connected to a Ukrainian arms dealer” through a 2013 fundraiser. But the supposed “Ukrainian arms dealer” owns a California company that primarily develops airships, including for the U.S. government. He has donated to both parties — not just the Democrats.

Q: Do people with serious mental health disorders pose a greater risk of becoming mass shooters?
A: People with mental illnesses are somewhat more likely to be violent than those without a diagnosis. But a majority are never violent, and very little is known specifically about mass murder.

The president distorted the facts on congressional subpoenas, trade, Syria and more during a busy day of public appearances.

The spin focused mainly on the economy and health care.