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
Person: Donald Trump
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 Exaggerates on U.S. and European Aid to Ukraine, Loans
As President Donald Trump has sought to secure rights to Ukraine’s minerals as compensation for U.S. aid to fight the Russian invasion, he has repeatedly overstated the amount of aid provided by the U.S. compared with Europe and exaggerated the extent to which European assistance – unlike U.S. aid — is in the form of guaranteed loans.
The War of Words Over Medicaid Cuts
Democrats and Republicans are accusing one another of “lying” about what a House Republican budget resolution means for Medicaid, and both sides have made misleading or speculative comments. There’s little doubt the health care program would face cuts under the plan — and it would have to if Medicare cuts are off limits.
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.
No Basis for Corruption Accusations About USAID Administrator
President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk have suggested without evidence that officials at the U.S. Agency for International Development may have siphoned off taxpayer money for themselves, echoing false social media claims about the former administrator’s net worth.
Trump’s False and Misleading Ukraine Claims
After U.S. and Russian officials met in Saudi Arabia to discuss an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine, President Donald Trump made several false and misleading statements about the conflict and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Trump Executive Order Targets COVID-19 Vaccines No Longer Required for Most U.S. Students
President Donald Trump this month issued an executive order prohibiting discretionary federal funds from going to schools and colleges or universities that require students to get a COVID-19 vaccine. But there currently are no states that require the vaccines for students, and only a few colleges or universities continue to have such a mandate.
Trump Distorts the Facts in Attack on the Courts
In several court cases, federal judges have temporarily blocked the Trump administration from broadly cutting or freezing federal spending. President Donald Trump claimed that the judges “want to try and stop us from looking for corruption” and “hold us back from finding all of this fraud.” But the court orders don’t stop investigations into corruption or fraud.
Trump’s Exaggeration of Federal Work from Home
President Donald Trump made the exaggerated claim that federal office space is “occupied by 4%” of federal workers to bolster his argument for dramatically downsizing the federal workforce and demanding that most workers return to the office full time.