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In his first Cabinet meeting of 2026, President Donald Trump made several claims about his administration’s achievements that don’t align with available evidence, according to a fact-check analysis of the session.
During Thursday’s meeting, which covered the economy, housing, energy, and healthcare initiatives, Trump asserted that “$18 trillion is being invested now” in the United States. However, this figure appears to be significantly inflated. The White House’s own website lists a much lower figure of $9.6 trillion, which reportedly includes investment commitments made during the previous Biden administration. A recent study casts doubt on whether even the $5 trillion in investment commitments made last year by major trading partners will materialize.
Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner claimed during the meeting that “home sales in December rose sharply to their strongest pace in three years” due to Trump’s policies. While the National Association of Realtors did report that December’s seasonally adjusted annual rate of home sales reached 4.35 million units—approaching a three-year high—this represented just a modest 1.4% year-over-year increase. More concerning for the market, pending home sales in December actually fell 3% compared to the previous year, suggesting the monthly uptick could be an anomaly rather than a trend.
Trump has previously stated his desire to keep home prices elevated to increase Americans’ net worth, a position that economists warn could suppress construction and price out first-time homebuyers from entering the market.
The president made particularly questionable claims regarding California’s wildfire recovery efforts. He stated that residents affected by the devastating 2025 Los Angeles wildfires have been unable to secure rebuilding permits, claiming “there are like three houses being built out of thousands.” This assertion prompted Trump to sign an executive order directing federal agencies to find ways to bypass local permitting rules.
However, official data from Los Angeles county and city authorities contradicts this claim, showing approximately 3,100 permits issued within the Palisades and Eaton fire zones as of Thursday. While fewer than a dozen residences have been fully rebuilt, about 900 homes are currently under construction.
California Governor Gavin Newsom quickly refuted Trump’s characterization, stating that local officials are processing permits expeditiously. Newsom instead called on the Trump administration to approve California’s pending $33.9 billion disaster aid request.
Experts note that permitting isn’t necessarily the primary obstacle for fire victims. Many households continue to struggle with insurance payouts that fall hundreds of thousands of dollars short of actual rebuilding costs. Andrew Rumbach, co-lead of the Climate and Communities Program at the Urban Institute, explained that the timeline seen in the California recovery effort is consistent with typical post-wildfire rebuilding patterns, citing the 2021 Boulder, Colorado fire as a comparable example.
Trump also incorrectly claimed that California officials “should have allowed the water to come down from the Pacific Northwest” to fight the 2025 wildfires. In reality, no water supply system connects the Pacific Northwest to California. The state’s water primarily comes from northern California mountain snowmelt that flows into the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta before being distributed southward through state and federal canal systems.
The meeting included several other dubious claims, including Trump’s assertion that his administration “extinguished eight wars” during his first year, an exaggeration of his diplomatic achievements. He also continued to promote “clean, beautiful coal,” despite the fact that coal production, while cleaner than historically, remains a significant source of pollution.
The president also erroneously claimed that China manufactures wind turbines but doesn’t use them domestically. In fact, China is not only the world’s largest producer of wind turbines but is also installing them domestically at a record pace.
The 2025 Los Angeles wildfires killed 31 people and destroyed approximately 13,000 residential properties, making accurate information about recovery efforts particularly important to affected communities.
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9 Comments
This fact-check provides valuable insights. It’s crucial that we don’t take government claims at face value, but instead scrutinize the data and full context. Objective, evidence-based reporting is essential for an informed public and effective policymaking.
Interesting analysis. It’s important to fact-check claims, especially from government officials, to ensure the public has accurate information. I’m curious to see how this administration’s economic policies have impacted investment levels and the housing market.
Hmm, this highlights the importance of careful, evidence-based reporting, especially on issues like the economy. While progress may have been made, the details and full context are important. I’ll be interested to see how this plays out going forward.
Thanks for the thorough fact-check. It’s troubling to see potentially misleading claims coming from government officials. Maintaining transparency and accuracy in public discourse is critical for a healthy democracy. I look forward to seeing more rigorous analysis on these topics.
I appreciate the detailed fact-checking on these claims. It’s a good reminder that we should be cautious about taking government statements at face value, and instead look to credible, impartial sources. Fact-based analysis is important for an informed public.
Misleading statements from government can undermine public trust. While some progress may have been made, it’s crucial to look at the full context and data, not just selective figures. Transparency and accountability are essential for effective policymaking.
Hmm, this highlights the need for rigorous, evidence-based analysis of government statements, especially on economic issues. While progress may have been made, the full context and data are important. I’ll be interested to see how this plays out going forward.
Interesting report. It’s always important to fact-check official statements, especially on important economic issues. While some progress may have been made, the details and full picture matter. I appreciate the thorough analysis provided here.
This fact-check is a good reminder to be skeptical of government claims, and to always seek out credible, impartial data sources. Maintaining transparency and accuracy in public discourse is critical for a well-functioning democracy. I look forward to seeing more rigorous reporting on these topics.