In his first address to a joint session of Congress in his second term, President Donald Trump distorted the facts on fraud, immigration, aid to Ukraine, the economy, autism and more.
FactChecking Trump’s Address to Congress
Stories by Ben Cohen
Undergraduate Fellow, FactCheck.org
Trump, Musk Exaggerate Scale of Improper Social Security Payments to the Dead
President Donald Trump incorrectly interpreted data shared by Elon Musk when he misleadingly claimed on Feb. 18 that “millions and millions of people over 100 years old” may be receiving improper benefits from Social Security. In fact, only about 89,000 people aged 99 or older received benefits from Social Security last year.
Trump, Online Posts Misrepresent Government Subscriptions to News Services
Both the Biden and Trump administrations subscribed to Politico and other news services. But President Donald Trump and online posts have misleadingly claimed the media outlets were being funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development. The payments from USAID and other federal departments or agencies were for subscriptions.
FactChecking Trump’s Inaugural Address
In a half-hour inaugural address, newly sworn-in President Donald Trump twisted some facts while painting the last few years under his predecessor, Joe Biden, as a time of “decline” and promising “the golden age of America begins right now.”
Speaker Johnson’s Partisan Spin on Gerrymandering in the 2024 Election
House Speaker Mike Johnson was spinning the facts when he claimed Republicans would have won a larger majority in the House in the 2024 election if not for Democrats’ gerrymandering of districts. The net effect of redistricting did not give the Democrats a large advantage, experts told us, with most of them saying the Republicans benefited more than Democrats.
The Issues: Harris’ Anti-Price Gouging Proposal
To address increased food and grocery prices, Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign has promised to enact a federal ban on price gouging. In an Aug. 16 press release, the campaign vowed to “go after bad actors to bring down Americans’ grocery costs and keep inflation in check.”
FactChecking the Vice Presidential Debate
Despite a mostly civil debate between Sen. JD Vance and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the two disagreed repeatedly not just on policy, but also on the facts. We referee some of those competing claims, and other factual missteps by the vice presidential candidates.
FactChecking the Harris-Trump Debate
The highly anticipated debate between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris was a combative event in which facts were repeatedly trampled and distorted.
Viral Posts Cite Misleading Economic Data to Compare Biden, Trump Presidencies
A chart widely shared on social media comparing macroeconomic indicators purports to show the country fared better under former President Donald Trump than President Joe Biden. However, the chart cites some figures that are inaccurate, outdated or misleading.
Night 3 of the Republican National Convention
Former President Donald Trump’s newly selected running mate, JD Vance, accepted the Republican Party’s vice presidential nomination on the convention’s third night, which featured claims about the economy, immigration and foreign policy.