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A Project of The Annenberg Public Policy Center

RFK Jr. Cherry-Picks and Misuses Data on Aluminum-Containing Vaccines

RFK Jr. Cherry-Picks and Misuses Data on Aluminum-Containing Vaccines

A large Danish study recently provided reassurance that aluminum-containing vaccines are not associated with increased rates of chronic health conditions in children, including autism. But Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. misrepresented the study’s findings, claiming that the paper’s supplementary data “shows calamitous evidence of harm.”

Adding Context to Trump’s Misleading Claims About Crime in Chicago

Adding Context to Trump’s Misleading Claims About Crime in Chicago

President Donald Trump said on Truth Social on Sept. 2, “CHICAGO IS THE MURDER CAPITAL OF THE WORLD!” That’s not the case, experts told us, and Chicago’s overall homicide rate declined more than 30% in the first six months of this year as compared with last year.

Trump’s Unsupported Death Penalty Claim

Trump’s Unsupported Death Penalty Claim

At a Cabinet meeting on Aug. 26, President Donald Trump proposed seeking the death penalty for anyone convicted of murder in Washington, D.C., claiming the death penalty is “a very strong preventative.” But the research, which has been difficult to conduct, is inconclusive on whether capital punishment is a deterrent. 

DCCC Serves up Spin for the Labor Day Cookout

DCCC Serves up Spin for the Labor Day Cookout

Over the Labor Day weekend, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is running digital ads on social media blaming House Republicans for “driving up the price of burgers.” But that’s misleading. The sizable rise in ground beef prices is tied to drought conditions in recent years, among other factors.

Addressing Trump’s Claims About Ending Multiple Wars

Addressing Trump’s Claims About Ending Multiple Wars

Q: Did President Donald Trump solve seven wars in seven months?

A: Trump has claimed he “ended” six or seven wars since returning to the White House in January. Experts in international relations said the president has had a significant role in ending fighting in four conflicts, though officials in one country refute Trump’s claim. But some of the international disagreements Trump cites have not been wars, and some clashes have not ended, experts said.

D.C. Homicide-Free Streak Not First in ‘Years’

D.C. Homicide-Free Streak Not First in ‘Years’

While signing executive orders at the White House on Aug. 25, President Donald Trump wrongly said that an 11-day span of no homicides in Washington, D.C., was the “first time that’s taken place in years,” a claim reiterated by other members of the administration who credited Trump’s federal takeover of the district’s law enforcement.

Trump on EU and Japan Investments in the U.S.

Trump on EU and Japan Investments in the U.S.

In early August, President Donald Trump claimed that a trade deal he negotiated with the European Union in July came with hundreds of billions of dollars that the U.S. can use for “anything we want.” But that’s not how the terms were described in a joint statement with the EU on Aug. 21.

Trump’s Distortions on Cashless Bail

Trump’s Distortions on Cashless Bail

Since announcing the temporary federal takeover of Washington, D.C.’s, law enforcement, President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticized state laws limiting the use of cash bail. But his arguments have strayed from the facts in three key areas.

Assessing Claims About the Reliability of D.C. Crime Data

Assessing Claims About the Reliability of D.C. Crime Data

The Trump administration has accused the Washington, D.C., police department of reporting “phony crime stats” and “cooking the books,” citing the suspension of a police commander for allegedly altering crime data. The U.S. attorney’s office in the district reportedly opened an investigation into whether city officials had manipulated crime statistics. Here’s what we know about the allegations.