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PolitiFact's 2019 Lie of the Year coverage

National

Katie Sanders

By Katie Sanders December 16, 2019

Lie of the Year: Donald Trump's incessant claim that whistleblower got his Ukraine call 'almost completely' wrong

A look back at Lie of the Year, 2009-2018

The Silence of the Year: Hunter Biden and Burisma

10 of Donald Trump's false claims during impeachment

2019 Lie of the Year Readers’ Poll results

See stories.

stated on July 15, 2021 in Facebook posts:

An image shows President Joe Biden touching Olivia Rodrigo’s shoulders during a White House press briefing.

pants-fire

pants-fire

Mitch McConnell

stated on September 18, 2020 in a statement:

On confirming a Supreme Court nominee in a presidential election year.

full-flop

full-flop

Instagram posts

stated on September 19, 2020 in a faked screenshot:

Says Ruth Bader Ginsburg tweeted, “I have information that will lead to the arrest of Hillary Clinton.”

pants-fire

pants-fire

stated on September 7, 2020 in a post:

Photo shows “some of the firefighters in California fighting fires 24/7 to save people's lives and property.”

false

false

stated on September 11, 2020 in a post:

“KXL Radio in Portland reported today that Firefighters are now being shot at by suspected Antifa and BLM members.”

false

false

stated on February 1, 2020 in a post on Facebook:

Says the CEO of Camping World told Trump supporters “Frankly, don’t shop at my business.”

barely-true

barely-true

stated on June 18, 2017 in a tweet:

"The new Rasmussen Poll, one of the most accurate in the 2016 Election, just out with a Trump 50% Approval Rating. That's higher than O's #'s!"

barely-true

barely-true

stated on June 4, 2017 in a tweet:

"At least 7 dead and 48 wounded in terror attack and Mayor of London says there is ‘no reason to be alarmed!’ "

false

false

stated on May 1, 2017 in her new book:

Says John Quincy Adams said, "If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, you are a leader."

false

false

stated on February 12, 2017 in an interview on ABC's "This Week":

"This issue of busing voters in to New Hampshire is widely known by anyone who’s worked in New Hampshire politics. It’s very real, it’s very serious."

pants-fire

pants-fire

stated on July 19, 2016 in a speech at the Republican convention:

As a senator, Hillary Clinton "paid women less than the men" in her office.

barely-true

barely-true

stated on January 19, 2016 in a town hall in Underwood, Iowa:

"I have a D-minus voting record from the NRA."

mostly-true

mostly-true

stated on October 22, 2015 in an op-ed in Breitbart:

"Even after Syrian troops began to shoot protesters in the streets with live ammunition in 2011, Clinton labeled Bashar al-Assad a ‘reformer.' "

half-true

half-true

stated on October 15, 2015 in a video shared on social media:

Says CNN deleted an online poll showing Bernie Sanders won the first Democratic presidential debate to help out Hillary Clinton.

pants-fire

pants-fire

stated on October 4, 2015 in tweets:

Says Donald Trump’s "Make America Great Again" hats were made in China.

pants-fire

pants-fire

Facebook posts
stated on May 15, 2024 in a Facebook post:

“Breaking News: The Grand Ole Opry Bans Beyoncé For Life, ‘Go Play Dress-Up, You’re Not Country.’”

By Ciara O'Rourke • May 17, 2024
Instagram posts
stated on May 9, 2024 in una publicación en Instagram:

"La Cámara de Representantes de los Estados Unidos acaba de aprobar... el proyecto Antisemitismo que propone eliminar parte de la biblia".

By Maria Briceño • May 17, 2024
Facebook posts
stated on May 9, 2024 in a Facebook post:

“Colin Kaepernick was fired from his new high school coaching job after just one season” because "the kids couldn't stand him."

By Ciara O'Rourke • May 17, 2024
Jared Polis
stated on May 15, 2024 in an X post:

Tariffs are a “direct, regressive tax on Americans” and President Joe Biden’s new tariffs on Chinese goods will “hit every family.”

By Louis Jacobson • May 17, 2024
Facebook posts
stated on May 9, 2024 in a Facebook post:

The government is offering a $5,800 subsidy, and “every American qualifies for it.”

By Loreben Tuquero • May 17, 2024
Threads posts
stated on May 16, 2024 in a Threads post:

Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker said we should go back to a time when “women had more babies than thoughts.”

By Jeff Cercone • May 17, 2024
Ron Johnson
stated on April 15, 2024 in Podcast:

"Every Senate Democrat has voted to support unlimited abortions up to the moment of birth.”

By D.L. Davis • May 17, 2024
Mike Johnson
stated on May 8, 2024 in a press conference:

“The millions (of immigrants) that have been paroled can simply go to their local welfare office or the DMV and register to vote.”

By Maria Ramirez Uribe • May 17, 2024
Benny Johnson
stated on May 1, 2024 in a video:

“Bombshell: Biden had pallets of classified docs sent to Mar-a-Lago before FBI raid! Trump was setup.”

By Kwasi Gyamfi Asiedu • May 17, 2024
Lila Rose
stated on May 14, 2024 in an Instagram post:

Anti-abortion activist sentenced to 57 months in prison for “handing roses and resources to women at an abortion facility.”

By Jeff Cercone • May 17, 2024