Trump, Biden campaigns to fact check each other during debate

The campaigns of President Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden are launching efforts to fact check each other in real time on social media during Tuesday night’s presidential debate. 

A Biden campaign aide confirmed to The Hill Tuesday afternoon that it is partnering with the Democratic National Committee’s War Room by using the Twitter handle “@Truth” to identify false statements made by Trump during the debate, which is scheduled for 9 p.m. EDT. 

The first post on the account on Tuesday features a 16-second clip in which Biden is asked at a recent press conference, “What do you feel like you have to accomplish to be successful in the debate?”

“Just tell the truth,” Biden responds. 

The video then cuts to a message saying, “Get the truth during the debate. Follow @Truth.” 

Truth — and we can’t stress this enough, folks — over lies pic.twitter.com/sc8oWw1tzH

— Truth (@truth) September 29, 2020

Biden campaign spokesperson Andrew Bates said in a statement to The Hill that “Donald Trump has lied to the American people more than any president in our history — by far.” 

“He lied about the deadliness of the coronavirus, costing thousands their lives and millions their jobs,” Bates said. “He lies about the economy, our healthcare and his own taxes. And he lies to tear us apart.”

Bates added in the statement, “The American people deserve to remember what it’s like to have a president who tells the truth again.”

Biden’s campaign on Tuesday also released a “Trump Tax Calculator” two days after the New York Times published reporting that found Trump had paid just $750 in income tax in 2016 and 2017. The tool allows users to enter the amount they paid in taxes 2017 and produces the number minus $750.

Trump has since criticized the Times’ reporting, although he did not refute any of the individual findings. Trump has repeatedly claimed that an IRS audit prevents him from releasing his full tax returns to the public. 

The Republican National Committee also outlined its debate plans in a statement to The Hill. Throughout the debate, the RNC will send fact checks on Biden’s statements over email and on social media. 

The RNC said it already has 30 fact checks prepared on a range of issues the candidates are expected to discuss in Tuesday’s debate, including the Supreme Court, the coronavirus pandemic and the use of mail-in voting in the November election. 

“While President Trump continues to meet with voters and take tough questions from the media, Joe Biden has been hiding from voters,” RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said in a statement shared with The Hill.  

“Sixteen states are already voting, yet this is the first time most American voters will get to hear from Joe Biden for any meaningful amount of time,” McDaniel continued. “While President Trump takes Biden to task on stage, the RNC and Trump Victory will be using the full force of our operation off stage to remind the American people of Biden’s disastrous 47-year record.” 

Tuesday night’s presidential debate, which will be moderated by Fox News anchor Chris Wallace, is the first of three scheduled debates between the presidential candidates. A Monmouth University poll found that nearly 3 in 4 of registered voters planned on watching the debate Tuesday.

This story was updated at 5:50 p.m.