“CNN initially stated that the only experiments of this type involved monkeys, then altered its fact-check after the White House provided a list of rodent studies.”
Attributed to CNN (as characterized by the RedState article)
The piece alleges CNN rushed to disprove Trump's comment by claiming related experiments were only on monkeys, but edited its fact-check after the White House issued a statement listing rodent studies.
What the proof shows
Contemporaneous records show CNN’s original fact-check characterized Trump’s “$8 million for making mice transgender” claim as false and focused on NIH-funded monkey studies (cited ~$477,121). The White House posted a March 5, 2025 list of NIH-funded projects involving mice (total $8,290,053, with links to NIH RePORTER entries). After that release CNN revised its fact-check language from “falsely claimed” to “this claim needs context” and appended a correction noting an earlier version had incorrectly characterized the claim as false. The sequence in the claim (CNN initially saying the relevant awards were to monkeys, then editing after the White House provided rodent-study links) is supported by the contemporaneous sources.
Corrected version
CNN initially characterized Trump’s statement as false and cited NIH monkey grants; after the White House supplied a list of NIH-funded studies involving mice, CNN updated its fact-check to say the claim “needs context” and added a correction noting the earlier characterization was incorrect.
Automated evidence confidence: 0%
References and proof
Every link was reachable when published. Each proof point states how that source bears on the claim.
Yes, Biden Spent Millions on Transgender Animal Experiments ↗
The White HouseThe morning after Trump’s speech, the White House provided a list of $8.3 million in federal grants to health studies that involve mice receiving treatments that can be used in gender-affirming health care... TOTAL: $8,290,053.
Fact-checking Trump’s address to Congress (CNN — initial wording quoted by outlets and archived snapshot) ↗
CNN (archived)DOGE and transgender mice: Trump falsely claimed on Tuesday that the Department of Government Efficiency identified government spending of “$8 million for making mice transgender.” Between the 2021 and 2022 fiscal years, the National Institutes of Health awarded a total of $477,121 to three projects that involved administering feminizing hormone therapy to monkeys...
Fact-checking Trump’s address to Congress — Correction noted (republication quoting CNN update) ↗
KESQ (republishing CNN excerpt)An earlier version of this item incorrectly characterized as false Trump’s claim about federal money being spent for “making mice transgender.” The article has been updated with context about the spending, which was for research studies on the potential human health impacts of treatments used in gender-affirming care. 'This claim needs context.'
A Mouse Model to Test the Effects of Gender-affirming Hormone Therapy on HIV Vaccine-induced Immune Responses — Project details ↗
NIH RePORTERProject title: 'A Mouse Model to Test the Effects of Gender-affirming Hormone Therapy on HIV Vaccine-induced Immune Responses' (NIH RePORTER project page showing study using mice).
Fact-check: CNN edits fact-check saying Trump 'falsely claimed' there were trans experiments on mice ↗
Fox NewsAn edited version of the fact-check changed the assertion on Wednesday from 'falsely claimed' to 'needs context,' adding the White House had since put out a list of federal grants involving mice receiving gender-transition treatments.
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