Fact check: Are all of the US's presidents genetically related?

1. Summary of the results

The claim that all US presidents are genetically related is partially supported by several analyses. According to ^[1], all but one US president are genetically related to King John of England, with Martin Van Buren being the exception ^[1]. This is further confirmed by ^[2], which states that 42 out of 43 US presidents are linked to King John of England, with Martin Van Buren being the only exception ^[2]. However, ^[3] only mentions that all US presidents are related, but does not provide specific information about the genetic relationship between the presidents ^[3]. Other analyses, such as ^[4], ^[5], and ^[6], do not provide relevant information to support or refute the claim ^{[4] [5] [6]}. Additionally, ^[7] and ^[3] do not provide direct information about the genetic relationship between US presidents ^{[7] [3]}, while ^[8] provides detailed information about the ancestral background of US presidents, including their ethnicities and national origins, but does not explicitly state that all presidents are genetically related ^[8].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

A key missing context in the original statement is the definition of "genetically related". While some analyses suggest that many US presidents share a common ancestor, such as King John of England ^{[1] [2]}, others do not provide clear information about the genetic relationship between the presidents ^[3]. Alternative viewpoints, such as the idea that the genetic relationship between US presidents may be due to the historical and cultural context of the time, are not fully explored in the analyses. For example, ^[8] mentions that many presidents share common ancestors from the British Isles, but does not discuss the implications of this on the genetic relationship between the presidents ^[8]. Furthermore, the analyses do not consider the possibility that the genetic relationship between US presidents may be the result of other factors, such as intermarriage between wealthy and influential families ^[1].

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original statement may be misleading, as it implies that all US presidents are directly genetically related, which is not entirely supported by the analyses. The statement may benefit those who want to emphasize the idea of a ruling elite or a privileged class ^[1], as it suggests that the US presidents are part of a genetically connected group. On the other hand, the statement may also be seen as sensational or attention-grabbing, as it simplifies a complex issue and does not provide a nuanced understanding of the genetic relationship between US presidents ^[3]. Additionally, the statement may be misleading or incomplete, as it does not provide clear information about the genetic relationship between the presidents, and may be based on incomplete or inaccurate information ^{[4] [5] [6]}.