Biden exit, Harris entry spur flurry of false claims: Fact check roundup

President Joe Biden’s decision to exit the 2024 presidential race and endorse Vice President Kamala Harris for the Democratic nomination led to misinformation online as people grappled with the historic election shakeup. 

As Harris suddenly stepped into the role of presidential candidate, the facts competed with a growing amount of disinformation about everything from Harris’ work on the U.S. border to Biden’s status as president. 

Here’s a roundup of checks related to Biden’s exit and Harris’ ascent as the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee from the USA TODAY Fact Check team.

The claim: Half-staff flag at US Capitol is related to Joe Biden