Can the police lie to me during questioning?

Yes, and this surprises people more than almost anything else in the process.

Officers may misrepresent the evidence, claim a co-defendant has implicated you, say a witness identified you, suggest forensic results exist, or minimize the seriousness of what's being discussed. Courts have generally permitted these tactics, reasoning that deception alone doesn't render a statement involuntary.

Where limits exist: deception that overbears the will, false promises of leniency the officer can't deliver, threats, or misrepresenting the legal consequences in ways that undermine a knowing waiver. Fabricating physical documents has drawn particular criticism.

The practical consequence matters more than the doctrine. In an interrogation, you cannot evaluate what you're being told. "We already have you on video" may be true or invented, and you have no way to check — while any response you give based on believing it is permanent.

That asymmetry is the reason interviews go badly for people who are trying to be reasonable.