Here’s our fact-check of President Donald Trump’s address to a joint session of Congress, in video form.
Video: FactChecking Trump’s Address to Congress
Issues: government spending
FactChecking Trump’s Address to Congress
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.
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.
Biden’s ‘Buy America’ Spin
President Joe Biden has repeatedly claimed that past presidents, including his predecessor, have “ignored” or “failed to uphold” laws requiring that federal government money be used to purchase only U.S. materials or products. Biden has expanded and emphasized such requirements, but we found no indication other presidents didn’t abide by the laws on the books during their tenures.
Debt Limit Agreement Breakdown
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and President Joe Biden brokered a two-year agreement to suspend the debt ceiling, but it needs quick congressional approval before the federal government runs out of money. We’ll explain the main provisions of the bill that would cut, and increase, federal spending.
U.S. Aid to Ukraine, Explained
When asked whether Republicans would “make it more difficult” for Congress to approve Ukrainian aid, Rep. Mike Turner criticized the $40 billion package enacted in May, saying: “We don’t need to pass $40 billion large Democrat bills … to send $8 billion to Ukraine.” Much more than that, however, was allocated for military support.
CBO: Build Back Better Not Quite ‘Fully Paid For’
For weeks, President Joe Biden has been saying the Build Back Better plan would be “fully paid for” and would not increase the deficit. But the official congressional scorekeeper in its long-awaited final analysis contradicted the president’s claims.
Senators Claim Infrastructure Bill Is ‘Paid For’; Experts Disagree
Both Democratic and Republican senators who negotiated a bipartisan infrastructure bill have claimed the legislation is “paid for.” But a budget watchdog group says the bill only pays for about half of the $548 billion in new spending.
Trump Spreads Distorted Claim on Wuhan Lab Funding
The Wuhan Institute of Virology received $600,000 as part of a larger five-year U.S. government grant to a U.S.-based nonprofit studying emerging infectious diseases. But President Donald Trump put the figure at $7.5 million, saying he “ended it.”
Democrats’ Misleading Coronavirus Claims
Democrats have criticized President Donald Trump for his administration’s response to the new coronavirus, making claims about cuts to public health programs and the silencing of government experts. But they haven’t always gotten their facts right.