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A Closer Look at the Most Notorious Lies by Fox News [1]
['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.']
Date: 2025-07-24
Fox News has long stood as a dominant force in American cable news, especially among conservative audiences. Since its founding in 1996 by Rupert Murdoch and Roger Ailes, it has grown into a powerhouse known for its influential role in shaping public opinion. However, with this influence has come considerable controversy. Critics, media watchdogs, and even courts have frequently accused Fox News of spreading misinformation, promoting partisan narratives, and presenting opinion as fact. This article explores some of the most notable lies, misinformation campaigns, and discredited stories disseminated by Fox News over the years.
1. The Iraq War and Weapons of Mass Destruction
One of Fox News’ earliest and most consequential deceptions was its role in promoting the narrative that Saddam Hussein possessed weapons of mass destruction (WMDs). In the lead-up to the Iraq War in 2003, Fox News hosts repeatedly amplified the Bush administration’s claims that Iraq posed an imminent threat.
The Lie: Iraq has active WMD programs and links to Al-Qaeda.
The Truth: Post-invasion investigations found no active WMDs or operational ties to Al-Qaeda. The CIA and other agencies later concluded the intelligence had been exaggerated or misrepresented.
Fox News was instrumental in promoting the war, often dismissing critics as unpatriotic. A study by the University of Maryland found Fox viewers were more likely than others to believe falsehoods about the war.
2. Obama’s Birthplace and “Birtherism”
Fox News played a central role in mainstreaming the debunked conspiracy theory that President Barack Obama was not born in the United States.
The Lie: Obama may not be a natural-born U.S. citizen and could be ineligible for the presidency.
The Truth: Obama was born in Hawaii in 1961. His birth certificate was released and verified by officials multiple times.
Fox News personalities like Sean Hannity and guests like Donald Trump repeatedly floated these conspiracies, often under the guise of "just asking questions." This prolonged campaign cast a shadow over Obama’s legitimacy and fueled racial and xenophobic undertones.
3. Climate Change Denial
Fox News has long been a hub for climate change skepticism or outright denial, contradicting scientific consensus.
The Lie: Climate change is a hoax, exaggerated, or not caused by humans.
The Truth: The overwhelming majority of climate scientists agree that climate change is real, dangerous, and driven by human activity.
Fox anchors such as Tucker Carlson and hosts like Laura Ingraham have mocked climate activists, spread misleading statistics, and given platforms to climate deniers, often downplaying urgent environmental issues.
4. The 2020 Election Fraud Claims
One of Fox News’ most damaging misinformation campaigns came after the 2020 U.S. presidential election.
The Lie: The election was stolen from Donald Trump due to massive voter fraud, especially via Dominion Voting Systems.
The Truth: Dozens of court cases, bipartisan election officials, and Trump’s own DOJ found no evidence of widespread fraud.
Fox News aired and promoted baseless claims that Dominion machines were rigged. This falsehood helped fuel the January 6 Capitol riot.
Consequences: Dominion Voting Systems filed a $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit against Fox. In 2023, Fox News settled for $787.5 million, one of the largest media defamation settlements in history. Internal communications released during the case showed Fox executives and hosts privately doubting the fraud claims they broadcasted.
5. COVID-19 Misinformation
During the pandemic, Fox News frequently spread misleading information about the virus, masks, vaccines, and public health measures.
The Lie: COVID-19 is no worse than the flu, masks are ineffective, and vaccines are dangerous or part of government control.
The Truth: COVID-19 caused millions of deaths globally. Vaccines proved safe and effective. Masks helped reduce transmission.
Fox figures like Tucker Carlson questioned vaccine safety and accused public health officials of tyranny. A Kaiser Family Foundation study found Fox viewers were significantly more likely to believe false COVID-19 claims than viewers of other networks.
6. The “War on Christmas” Narrative
Every holiday season, Fox News revives the idea that American culture and institutions are attacking Christmas.
The Lie: Liberals, secularists, and retail stores are trying to eliminate Christmas and Christian values.
The Truth: “Happy Holidays” is an inclusive greeting, and no serious movement exists to cancel Christmas.
The “War on Christmas” is largely a manufactured controversy. Bill O’Reilly, a former Fox host, helped popularize the narrative, portraying it as a sign of cultural decline.
7. The Caravan Invasion Hoax
In 2018, before the midterm elections, Fox News ran extensive coverage of a migrant caravan approaching the U.S. border.
The Lie: The caravan was an invading force filled with criminals, terrorists, and funded by George Soros.
The Truth: The caravan consisted mainly of Central American families seeking asylum. There was no evidence of terrorist infiltration.
Fox used alarming language, such as "invasion," and often stoked fear of immigrants. After the election, coverage of the caravan abruptly stopped, reinforcing accusations that it was used as a political tool.
8. George Soros Conspiracies
Fox News has repeatedly demonized billionaire philanthropist George Soros, suggesting he orchestrates global chaos and funds far-left uprisings.
The Lie: Soros controls media, funds Antifa, and destabilizes governments for personal gain.
The Truth: Soros donates to liberal causes but has no control over vast conspiracies. Many claims about him are rooted in antisemitic tropes.
Tucker Carlson and others repeatedly pushed these narratives despite widespread criticism and fact-checking refutations.
9. The “Great Replacement” Theory
Several Fox News personalities have echoed or flirted with the white supremacist “Great Replacement” theory.
The Lie: Democrats are trying to “replace” white Americans with immigrants to win elections.
The Truth: This theory is a racist conspiracy with no basis in fact and has been cited by mass shooters.
Tucker Carlson made the theory mainstream by suggesting immigration was being used to “dilute” American culture. Despite condemnation from civil rights groups, he defended the rhetoric, claiming he was “just stating facts.”
10. January 6 Riot Whitewashing
Fox News has tried to rewrite the narrative around the January 6 Capitol insurrection.
The Lie: The riot was peaceful, exaggerated, or a false flag operation by the FBI or left-wing groups.
The Truth: The riot was a violent attempt to overturn a democratic election, resulting in deaths, injuries, and massive property damage.
Fox host Tucker Carlson aired a cherry-picked video series called Patriot Purge, suggesting the riot was overblown and the perpetrators were being unfairly punished. The segment was so controversial that two Fox News contributors resigned in protest.
11. Seth Rich Conspiracy
Fox News promoted a baseless theory that murdered DNC staffer Seth Rich leaked emails to WikiLeaks and was killed as part of a cover-up.
The Lie: Seth Rich was assassinated for political reasons involving the DNC.
The Truth: Washington police said Rich was killed in a botched robbery. No evidence links him to WikiLeaks.
Fox News later retracted the story, but only after significant backlash. Rich’s family sued, and Fox settled the lawsuit in 2020.
12. Obamacare “Death Panels”
During debates about the Affordable Care Act, Fox News hosts helped amplify the false claim that it would lead to government-run “death panels.”
The Lie: Government panels would decide who lives or dies based on their health or age.
The Truth: No such panels ever existed. The claim stemmed from a provision encouraging end-of-life planning.
This lie contributed to widespread public fear and misunderstanding of the ACA. Sarah Palin coined the phrase, but Fox gave it a national platform.
13. Benghazi Scandal Exaggeration
Fox News spent years covering the 2012 attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya.
The Lie: Hillary Clinton deliberately let Americans die in Benghazi and covered it up.
The Truth: Multiple congressional investigations, including Republican-led ones, found no wrongdoing by Clinton.
Fox aired hundreds of segments, often recycling the same discredited claims. The coverage was criticized as politically motivated.
14. Misrepresenting Crime Statistics
Fox News frequently paints a distorted picture of crime in America, especially in cities run by Democrats.
The Lie: Crime is exploding everywhere due to liberal policies and defunding police.
The Truth: Crime trends are complex. Some types have decreased, others fluctuated, and most cities have not defunded police significantly.
Fox often selectively uses data or misleading visuals to exaggerate crime fears, especially before elections.
15. “Antifa Burned Down Cities” Narrative
Fox portrayed Black Lives Matter protests and Antifa as domestic terrorism.
The Lie: Left-wing extremists destroyed U.S. cities during 2020 protests.
The Truth: While some protests included violence, the majority were peaceful. There’s no evidence Antifa orchestrated widespread destruction.
This narrative helped justify crackdowns on protests and diverted attention from police brutality—the core issue of the demonstrations.
Conclusion
Fox News’ long record of misinformation has had real consequences—from undermining trust in democratic institutions to fueling racial resentment and public health skepticism. While all media outlets can make mistakes, the pattern of deliberate distortion and politically motivated falsehoods distinguishes Fox News in troubling ways.
Its recent defamation settlements, resignations of key contributors, and mounting public criticism suggest a reckoning may be underway. However, its continued ratings dominance reveals that millions still trust the network, underscoring the challenges of misinformation in a hyper-partisan media landscape.
As consumers of news, it’s vital to remain critical, verify facts, and understand the difference between opinion, commentary, and evidence-based journalism. Democracy, public health, and civic trust depend on it.
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