MBFC's Daily Vetted Fact Checks for 08/21/2025

Fact Check Search

Media Bias Fact Check selects and publishes fact checks from around the world. We only utilize fact-checkers that are either a signatory of the International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) or have been verified as credible by MBFC. Further, we review each fact check for accuracy before publishing. We fact-check the fact-checkers and let you know their bias. When appropriate, we explain the rating and/or offer our own rating if we disagree with the fact-checker. (D. Van Zandt)

Claim Codes: Red = Fact Check on a Right Claim, Blue = Fact Check on a Left Claim, Black = Not Political/Conspiracy/Pseudoscience/Other

Fact Checker bias rating Codes: Red = Right-Leaning, Green = Least Biased, Blue = Left-Leaning, Black = Unrated by MBFC

BLATANT LIE	Claim by Donald Trump (R): With voting machines, “They say we’re going to have the results in two weeks. With paper ballots, you have the results that night.” PolitiFact rating: False (Machines that tabulate votes are faster and more accurate ballot-counters than humans, according to studies and past election experience. Eliminating vote-counting machines and relying solely on humans to count paper ballots would, in most cases, lengthen the vote-counting time and require more personnel and money.) Do voting machines delay election results? No, Trump’s wrong about paper ballot counting Donald Trump Rating
FALSE	Claim via Social Media: Aphelion will cause colder weather than ever before in August, 2025. Lead Stories rating: False (Earth’s distance from the Sun changes daily and at aphelion, the Earth’s distance from the Sun is only about 3% more than the average distance. Other factors have a greater impact on temperature, including the atmosphere’s ability to slow fluctuations in heat and the 24-degree tilt in Earth’s axis, which determines the duration and intensity of sunlight striking the planet.) Fact Check: Aphelion Phenomenon Will NOT Make Earth Experience ‘Colder Weather Than Ever Before’ — It’s Annual And Unnoticeable
UNPROVEN	Claim via Social Media: A video authentically showed a captured U.S. tank in Ukraine flying both U.S. and Russian flags. Snopes rating: Unproven (The footage came from RT, but analysis showed suspicious signs of AI manipulation, such as the Russian flag morphing in and out. While fighting near Mala Tochmacka makes the scenario plausible, the video cannot be independently verified.) What we know about video allegedly showing captured US tank flying Russian and American flags
BLATANT LIE	Claim by President Donald Trump (R): “States are merely an ‘agent’ for the Federal Government in counting and tabulating the votes. They must do what the Federal Government, as represented by the President of the United States, tells them, FOR THE GOOD OF OUR COUNTRY, to do.” FactCheck.org rating: False (The Constitution gives states the authority to run elections, with oversight from Congress, and the president has no direct role.) FactChecking Trump’s Claims About Mail-In Ballots, Voting Machines and States’ Role
FALSE	(International: India): A viral video features Piers Morgan allegedly saying “the West cannot defeat India, militarily, culturally, ideologically, or economically” The Quint rating: False Fact-Check: No, Piers Morgan Didn’t Say “The West Can’t Defeat India”: Viral Audio Is Synthetic

Disclaimer: We are providing links to fact-checks by third-party fact-checkers. If you do not agree with a fact check, please directly contact the source of that fact check.