The president’s address included false and misleading claims on jobs, wages, energy, immigration and more.
FactChecking the State of the Union
Person: Donald Trump
Omar’s State of the Union Trivia Tweet
Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar asked on Twitter: “Have we ever had an impeached President, deliver the State of the Union address while he is on trial in the Senate?” Answer: Yes. President Bill Clinton in 1999.
Trump Exaggerates China Trade Impact on Farmers
At his rally in Iowa, President Donald Trump falsely claimed that the new trade agreement with China “will boost American agriculture by $50 billion every year.” China agreed to increase agricultural purchases by $12.5 billion this year and $19.5 billion next year compared with 2017 levels.
Super Bowl Ads from Trump and Bloomberg
The campaigns of President Donald Trump and Democrat Mike Bloomberg have purchased airtime during the preeminent TV ad event of the year: the Super Bowl. Both scheduled spots make claims that require context or further explanation.
Buttigieg Gives Trump Too Much Blame for Debt
Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg blamed tax cuts backed by President Trump for creating the nation’s debt problem. But while those tax cuts are worsening the nation’s debt, spiraling deficits and debt over the next decade were projected even before those tax cuts were enacted.
Giuliani Was Not a ‘Minor Player’ in Ukraine
One of President Donald Trump’s defense lawyers described Rudy Giuliani as “just a minor player” in Ukraine matters that resulted in the president being impeached. But the evidence suggests otherwise.
Security Assistance and the July 25 Phone Call
Democrats and the White House legal team have made competing arguments about whether Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky mentioned U.S. security aid to his country in his July 25 phone call with President Donald Trump. The fact is, it’s unclear what Zelensky was referring to when he thanked Trump “for your great support in the area of defense.”
Trump’s False Tweet on Bolton
President Donald Trump falsely claimed in a tweet that the House Democrats “never even asked John Bolton to testify” in their impeachment inquiry. The Democrats asked, but Bolton refused to voluntarily appear.
False Claim Ukraine Got Aid ‘Before Schedule’
President Donald Trump, who last year froze hundreds of millions of dollars in security aid for Ukraine, claimed “they got all” of it “long before schedule.” That’s false. Congress had to grant an extension to ensure the government could spend all of that aid for Ukraine.
Impeachment-Social Security Hoax Resurfaces in Video
A viral YouTube video rehashed, and added to, a debunked hoax about House Speaker Nancy Pelosi taking money from Social Security to pay for the impeachment investigation into President Donald Trump. The claim originated on a self-described satirical website.