Lead Stories is reporting that several widely shared claims on social media have been debunked as false or digitally altered. It said a viral video purporting to show President Donald Trump unveiling a "Trump 2028" hat in the Oval Office was digitally altered. The original Fox News segment, broadcast March 20, 2025, showed Trump revealing the Declaration of Independence. Lead Stories noted the presence of a "Dilley Meme Team" watermark and confirmed digital alteration using AI detection tools.
Lead Stories also debunked an AI-generated image of Judge Hannah Dugan crying in an orange jumpsuit. It said the image, which claimed the judge was arrested by the FBI for obstructing ICE agents, appears to have been created with AI tools, with detection tools rating the chance of AI use at over 99%.
Additionally, Lead Stories addressed a fake photo showing many mourners, not just Trump, dressed in blue at Pope Francis's funeral. It said the image was digitally edited to change the color and tone of clothes worn by several dignitaries, including former President Joe Biden.
Separately, Lead Stories fact-checked a claim that it is legal to own a child sex slave in California, stating this claim is false.