Fact-checking a chaotic 1st presidential debate
The first presidential debate of the 2020 election cycle quickly descended into chaos in Cleveland on Tuesday night, with President Trump repeatedly talking over former Vice President Joe Biden and the moderator, Fox News anchor Chris Wallace, while unleashing a torrent of insults and falsehoods. Amid the shouting and interruptions onstage, Yahoo News and other news media outlets — including the Associated Press, NBC News and USA Today — provided a live fact check of both candidates, highlighting select false, misleading or dubious claims in real time. Scroll down for a complete recap.
Trump tries to undermine the legitimacy of the election with baseless claims at debate
At debate, Trump talks over Biden, who fires back ‘would you shut up man?’
Trump mocks Biden for wearing masks: ‘Every time you see him, he's got a mask’
‘Bleach,’ shorthand for Trump’s confused response to COVID, comes back to haunt him
Trump admits greenhouse gases contribute to climate change ‘to an extent’
Trump says he’s paid ‘millions’ in taxes but rejects Biden’s demand to release his returns
‘Stand back and stand by’: Trump refuses to condemn white supremacists