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: Social Security
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.
Online Posts Misconstrue Data on Social Security Numbers
Elon Musk shared a chart on X purportedly showing more than 398 million eligible numbers in the Social Security database. Online posts misconstrued the figures to wrongly claim they showed how many people are receiving benefits, which would exceed the U.S. population. The Social Security Administration reported more than 68.4 million recipients in 2024.
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’s Agenda: Taxes
In addition to extending the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, one of his signature achievements in his first term, President-elect Donald Trump has proposed a long list of tax cuts, from eliminating taxes on Social Security benefits to lowering the corporate tax rate. We’ll look at Trump’s tax proposals, their cost and what impact they could have on taxpayers.
Kamala Harris’ Closing Arguments
In the closing weeks of the campaign, Vice President Kamala Harris has portrayed former President Donald Trump as a danger to democracy. She also has warned he will enact policies that will hurt blue-collar workers, women, seniors, and the nation’s health care system and economy. That was her message at eight campaign events that we reviewed from Oct. 18 through Oct. 22.
Misleading Democratic Ad in Nevada on ‘Sunsetting Medicare and Social Security’
Sam Brown, the Republican Senate candidate in Nevada, has publicly supported cutting federal spending in ways that experts say would require deep cuts in popular programs. But his Democratic opponent goes too far in a TV ad that claims Brown “embraced sunsetting Medicare and Social Security.”
Final Night of the Democratic National Convention
In Vice President Kamala Harris’ acceptance speech, we found familiar claims about taxes, abortion, birth control, and Social Security and Medicare.
Third Night of the Democratic Convention
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz accepted his party’s vice presidential nomination, and repeated claims he has made before about the Republican ticket. Other speakers tried to link former President Donald Trump to Project 2025, among other claims.
Day 2 of the Democratic National Convention
A few speakers put some spin on the facts about Trump’s plans for another term.