PolitiFact is reporting that President Donald Trump's claims of vandalism at the Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C., are false. It said the Justice Department withdrew felony charges against David Hearn, accused of defacing the landmark, citing new Interior Department evidence that faulty repairs, not vandalism, caused the liner's peeling. The motion, signed by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, blamed a contractor's rushed work. Trump criticized the Justice Department and Pirro, maintaining there was vandalism. PolitiFact rated Trump's statement False.
Separately, PolitiFact is reporting that Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s claim that the U.S. had the highest COVID-19 death rate is False. It said Johns Hopkins University data showed Peru had the highest per capita death rate, nearly double that of the U.S.
PolitiFact's Well Informed service investigated U.S. food safety. It said experts maintain the supply is "among the safest in the world" but noted concerns that Trump administration cuts to public health entities could weaken long-term safety guardrails, though short-term impacts are unclear.
PolitiFact is also reporting that President Donald Trump's assertion that the U.S. war against Iran is going "extremely well" is not supported. It said while Iran's conventional military is degraded, it uses inexpensive drones, and goals like nuclear program obliteration and regime change remain elusive. New challenges, such as Iran's control over the Strait of Hormuz, have emerged.
Furthermore, PolitiFact examined claims that Dr. Anthony Fauci's private COVID-era writings contradicted his public statements. It said after Sen. Rand Paul released Fauci's documents, Fauci invoked the Fifth Amendment over 100 times. PolitiFact concluded Fauci's diary entries showed deliberation and largely aligned with his public comments on COVID-19 origins, school closures, and mask mandates.
PolitiFact is reporting that social media users circulated likely manipulated images of the suspect in an Aug. 1 Idaho In-N-Out Burger shooting. It said images of Chad Williams, 24, appeared edited and likely altered with artificial intelligence, a common occurrence following high-profile incidents.
PolitiFact also noted that President Trump blamed Minnesota for a cyber attack on water plants, but a federal agency had warned days earlier that Iran could launch such an attack. It said the FBI reported at least seven states were affected, not just Minnesota.