Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Brian Williams Being Investigated For Half-Dozen More Lies & Embellishments
By
Ben Yakas
Published Apr 25, 2015
Modified Apr 25, 2015
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Ben Yakas
Published Apr 25, 2015
Modified Apr 25, 2015
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Brian Williams must have thought that the worst was over after his career blew up earlier this year when it came out that he had falsely claimed for years that he had been in a helicopter hit by a grenade in 2003 during the Iraq war. Who could blame him for thinking things were looking up when the Post was settling for making jabs about him holding puppies? But it seems Williams has not turned the page yet: the Times reports today that NBC has been investigating a "half-dozen instances in which he is thought to have fabricated, misrepresented or embellished his accounts."
The occasions being investigated include: the 2003 Iraq incident; Williams' claims about a missile attack in northern Israel in 2006; a story about receiving a fragment of a helicopter during the mission to kill Osama bin Laden in 2011; and Williams' reporting from Tahir Square in 2011. The Times points out some glaring discrepancies in his account:
In an appearance that month with Jon Stewart on “The Daily Show,” Mr. Williams described his reporting from the square. Speaking of clashes between protesters seeking the overthrow of the Egyptian government, and a pro-government group on horses and camels, he said he had “actually made eye contact with the man on the lead horse.” Mr. Stewart then referred to reports that the pro-government group had used whips. “Yeah,” Mr. Williams replied, “he went around the corner after I saw him, they pulled out whips and started beating human beings on the way.”
The NBC News report on the clash between the protesters that day did not show Mr. Williams in Tahrir Square during the protest. Subsequent reports said that Mr. Williams was reporting “from a balcony overlooking Tahrir Square,” rather than from inside the square itself, a description that matches footage that was broadcast, and that he repeated in an interview with The New York Times last year.
You can see the Daily Show appearance in question below.
The Daily Show
Get More: Daily Show Full Episodes,The Daily Show on Facebook,Daily Show Video Archive
Williams remains suspended by NBC News; it is believed that he is still being haunted by the ghost of Tom Brokaw; and the news anchor position remains an antiquated and somewhat silly relic of the early years of television.
Update: The Washington Post now reports that Williams embellished stories on at least 11 occasions.
Tagged
brian williams
fabrications
lies
nbc
nightly news
Ben Yakas
Ben Yakas is a former Gothamist reporter.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Tompkins Square Park is getting a makeover. Some say it's too much.
Some regulars at the East Village park want to preserve its not-so-fancy offerings.
By
Willow Higgins
Published Oct 17, 2026 at 7:00 a.m. ET
Deer are all over New Jersey roads looking for sex, state officials warn
Mid-October through mid-December is deer mating season, which can be a danger to drivers as the sex-seeking creatures cross roadways throughout the Garden State.
By
Rosemary Misdary
News
Deer are all over New Jersey roads looking for sex, state officials warn
Mid-October through mid-December is deer mating season, which can be a danger to drivers as the sex-seeking creatures cross roadways throughout the Garden State.
By
Rosemary Misdary
Man messaged 'I got straight poison' before giving NYC college students fentanyl, feds say
By
Samantha Max
Inside the plan to fix the nearly collapsed Pfizer Building, 1/64th of an inch at a time
By
David Brand
School bus carrying autistic students got lost in Brooklyn for 4 hours last year
By
Jessica Gould
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .