Key Takeaways
- President Donald Trump made several false claims during his prime-time address from the White House, including claims about inflation, the economy, and immigration.
- Trump falsely claimed that inflation has stopped, when in fact the year-over-year inflation rate in September was 3.0%, the same as the rate when Trump returned to office in January.
- Trump also made false claims about the price of eggs and grocery prices, saying that they are falling rapidly, when in fact consumer price index data shows that average grocery prices were up about 2.7% from September 2024.
- Trump repeated his false claim that an executive order he issued on prescription drug prices will cut those prices by "as much as 400, 500, and even 600%," which is mathematically impossible.
- Trump made false claims about gas prices, saying that gasoline is now under $2.50 a gallon in much of the country, when in fact there were only four states whose average price for a gallon of regular gas was below $2.50.
Introduction to False Claims
President Donald Trump made a series of false claims during his prime-time address from the White House on Wednesday night, most of which have been debunked before. This article will examine the fact-checking of these claims, including statements about inflation, the economy, immigration, and foreign policy. Trump’s claims were misleading and inaccurate, and it is essential to set the record straight.
Inflation and the Economy
Trump falsely claimed that "inflation is stopped." However, the year-over-year inflation rate in September was 3.0%, the same as the rate when Trump returned to office in January. In fact, if you go to multiple decimal places, the September rate was a tiny bit higher. Furthermore, September was the fifth consecutive month the year-over-year rate had increased. Trump also repeated his false claim that "when I took office, inflation was the worst in 48 years, and some would say in the history of our country." This statement is not supported by the data, as the year-over-year inflation rate in the last full month of the Biden administration was 2.9%, and it was 3.0% in January 2025, the month of Trump’s second inauguration.
Grocery Prices and Prescription Drug Prices
Trump added that "everything else is falling rapidly" after noting that the price of eggs has plummeted since March. However, this statement is not true, even if he was talking specifically about grocery prices, which are up this year. Consumer Price Index data shows that a far greater number of grocery items have increased in price since he returned to office than have decreased. The most recent available CPI figures at the time he spoke on Wednesday, for September, showed that average grocery prices were up about 2.7% from September 2024. Trump also repeated his false claim that an executive order he issued on prescription drug prices will cut those prices by "as much as 400, 500, and even 600%." These figures are mathematically impossible, and if the president magically got the companies to reduce the prices of all of their drugs to $0, that would be a 100% cut.
Gas Prices and Investment in the US
Trump said, "Gasoline is now under $2.50 a gallon in much of the country, and some states it by the way just hit $1.99 a gallon." However, as of Wednesday, there were only four states whose average price for a gallon of regular gas was below $2.50, according to data published by AAA. The AAA national average was $2.905 per gallon. Trump also repeated his false claim that there has been "$18 trillion" in investment in the US during his second presidency. This figure is fiction, and at the time he spoke on Wednesday, the White House’s own website said the figure was "$9.6 trillion," which is still a major exaggeration.
Immigration and Foreign Policy
Trump repeated his false claim that he has ended eight wars this year, saying Wednesday, "I’ve restored American strength, settled eight wars in 10 months." While Trump has played a role in resolving some conflicts, the "eight" figure is a clear exaggeration. Trump’s list of supposed wars settled includes a war between Egypt and Ethiopia, but that wasn’t actually a war; it is a long-running diplomatic dispute about a major Ethiopian dam project on a tributary of the Nile River. Trump’s list also includes another supposed war that didn’t actually occur during his presidency, between Serbia and Kosovo. Trump’s list includes a supposed success in ending a war involving the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, but that war has continued despite a peace agreement brokered by the Trump administration this year.
Migration and Biden
Trump repeated his false claim that "25 million" migrants entered the country under Biden. The "25 million" figure is false; even Trump’s previous "21 million" figure was a wild exaggeration. Through December 2024, the last full month under the Biden administration, the federal government had recorded under 11 million nationwide "encounters" with migrants during that administration, including millions who were rapidly expelled from the country. Trump also repeated his unsubstantiated claim that, during the Biden administration, foreign countries emptied their prisons and mental institutions to somehow send the people in them to the US as migrants.
Conclusion
In conclusion, President Donald Trump made several false claims during his prime-time address from the White House, including claims about inflation, the economy, immigration, and foreign policy. These claims were misleading and inaccurate, and it is essential to set the record straight. The fact-checking of these claims reveals that Trump’s statements were not supported by the data, and in some cases, were mathematically impossible. It is crucial to rely on verifiable evidence and accurate information to inform our understanding of the world and to make informed decisions.