Okay, fact check friday is literally the only thing keeping me sane right now, because sweet baby jesus the timeline is on fire again.
I’m writing this from my disgusting couch in Ohio, there’s a Cheeto stain on my sweatpants that’s probably older than some of you, and my phone just buzzed with another “BREAKING” push alert that made me throw it across the room. Anyway, grabbed it back because I’m addicted, and spent the last three days drowning in the dumbest political claims known to man. So here’s my personal, slightly unhinged fact check friday roundup—five things that went viral this week and turned out to be hot garbage. https://factcheck.afp.com/doc.afp.com.36E74YX
Why Fact Check Friday Feels Like Therapy (And Screaming Into the Void)
Look, I’m just a regular idiot with Wi-Fi and trust issues. Last Tuesday I legitimately paused in the middle of Meijer because some guy in a Carhartt was yelling about “they’re putting litter boxes in schools again.” Sir, I said out loud (yeah I’m that person now), that was debunked in 2021. He called me a sheep. I bought too many frozen pizzas and stress-ate half of one in the parking lot. This is my life now.
Claim #1: “Kamala Harris Wants to Ban Red Meat Nationwide” – Fact Check Friday Edition
This one came from some account with 2 million followers and a profile pic of an eagle crying. The video had 11 million views before breakfast. Turns out it’s a 2019 clip where she literally says she’d support people choosing to eat less meat for the planet. That’s it. I watched the full interview while eating a Double Whopper just to feel something. Verdict: total bullshit. Source: actual CNN transcript here → https://www.cnn.com/2019/09/04/politics/kamala-harris-town-hall https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2020/aug/14/facebook-posts/no-kamala-harris-didnt-say-she-wants-eliminate-bee/
Claim #2: “Trump Signed a Bill Giving Illegals $5,000 Debit Cards” – My Fact Check Friday Meltdown
My uncle texted this to the family group chat at 3 a.m. with 17 exclamation points. I almost blocked him. Turns out it’s twisting a 2021 COVID relief thing for Afghan refugees who were legally vetted allies. The program ended years ago. I explained this with links. He replied “Fake news!!!” I drank an entire bottle of cheap cabernet. Here’s Reuters breaking it down like I’m five: https://www.reuters.com/fact-check/no-evidence-trump-signed-law-giving-immigrants-5000-debit-cards-2024-10-28/
Claim #3: “Bird Flu Vaccines Contain Microchips” – Fact Check Friday, Send Help
Some blue-check doctor on the other side posted this and half my high school friends shared it. I actually laughed so hard I snorted coffee. The “source” was a 4chan screenshot. The FDA literally said there are no approved bird flu vaccines for humans yet, let alone ones with Bill Gates’ Wi-Fi. Politifact murdered this one already: https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2024/nov/12/instagram-posts/no-bird-flu-vaccines-dont-contain-microchips/ https://factcheck.afp.com/doc.afp.com.34JX8MY
Claim #4: “Taylor Swift’s Jet Caused the California Wildfires” – Peak 2025 Brain Rot
I wish I was kidding. Apparently her flight path “matches” the fire spread pattern. Bro, the map they used was from 2018. I checked while hiding in my bathroom because my roommate was watching Fox News at volume 97. Snopes eviscerated it in like twelve seconds: https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/taylor-swift-jet-california-wildfires/
Claim #5: “FEMA Is Confiscating Trump Signs in North Carolina” – My Final Fact Check Friday Straw
This one hurt because people actually lost everything in the hurricane. The video going around is from 2022 in Florida and it’s just FEMA asking people to move campaign signs so helicopters can land. That’s… literally it. Local news confirmed it within hours. Here’s AP doing the Lord’s work: https://apnews.com/article/fact-check-fema-trump-signs-hurricane-north-carolina-2024 https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2023/dec/19/mark-lamb/no-the-us-government-is-not-giving-people-who-cros/
Okay I’m Done, My Brain Hurts – Wrapping This Fact Check Friday Mess
Honestly? I’m tired, y’all. Like bone-tired. My eyes are doing that twitchy thing from too much screen time and I just realized I’ve been wearing the same hoodie since Tuesday. But if me yelling into the void about these five political claims debunked saves even one Thanksgiving dinner from turning into civil war, then maybe it was worth the Cheeto dust and existential dread.
Do me a favor—next time your cousin posts some wild screenshot, just send them here before you yeet the mashed potatoes across the table. And maybe fact check your own side too? I do it constantly and it still sucks.
Anyway, drop your craziest claim you saw this week in the comments so we can all cry-laugh together. I’ll be here eating cold pizza and refreshing the timeline like the masochist I am. https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/list/?category=&ruling=false&speaker=
Stay sane out there. Or don’t. Honestly no judgment at this point.
