Listen to the article
Trump’s Fact Check: Multiple Inaccurate Claims Made During White House Event
President Donald Trump made a series of factually incorrect statements during a White House event announcing reduced prices for common fertility drugs through a new direct-to-consumer platform. The claims, which ranged from drug price reductions to investment figures and autism statistics, contained significant mathematical and factual errors.
During the event, Trump claimed that drug prices are being cut by “400%, 200%, 600%” and even “800% in some cases.” These figures are mathematically impossible. A 100% price reduction would make a product free; anything beyond that would mean consumers are being paid to take medications, which is not occurring. At the same event, Dr. Mehmet Oz, administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, referenced a fertility drug price reduction from $242 to $10, which he claimed was “too high to calculate.” In reality, this represents a 95.9% reduction—significant, but nowhere near Trump’s claimed percentages.
The president also asserted that he has secured “over $17 trillion” in investments in the United States this year, calling it “one of the great numbers that I’ve ever heard.” However, the White House’s own website lists “$8.8 trillion” in “major investment announcements” during his term—less than half the figure Trump cited. Even the White House’s lower figure appears exaggerated, according to a CNN review that found the administration is counting vague pledges, statements about “bilateral trade” rather than actual investments, and ambiguous commitments that don’t constitute firm investment plans.
Trump’s claim about ending “eight wars” also misrepresents reality. The list includes a diplomatic dispute between Egypt and Ethiopia over a dam project on a tributary of the Nile River—not an actual war. It also counts a supposed conflict between Serbia and Kosovo that didn’t occur during his presidency. Additionally, the list includes a claimed success regarding the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, but that conflict continues despite a peace agreement brokered by the Trump administration that was never signed by the primary rebel coalition.
Regarding the ongoing government shutdown, Trump alleged Democrats “want to spend $1.5 trillion on illegal immigrants and they want to destroy health care for everyone else.” This claim is false on multiple levels. Undocumented immigrants are ineligible for either Obamacare subsidies or federal Medicaid coverage. The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget estimated that Democrats’ spending proposal would add $1.5 trillion to the debt over the next decade, but this figure isn’t specific to undocumented immigrants. The White House’s own analysis claimed Democrats proposed spending about $193 billion—far less than Trump’s $1.5 trillion figure—on health care for “illegal immigrants and other non-citizens,” with most of that sum directed toward legally present non-citizens.
Trump also significantly exaggerated the change in autism prevalence rates, claiming it was “1 in 20,000” about “20 years ago or so.” According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the known prevalence of autism among children was actually 1 in 125 in 2004 and 1 in 110 in 2006. Even 25 years ago, in 2000, it was 1 in 150. The earliest studies from the 1960s and 1970s estimated prevalence at 2 to 4 per 10,000 children—not 1 in 20,000 and from a period much longer ago than Trump suggested. The CDC’s most recent published prevalence for autism, from 2022, is 1 in 31.
The series of inaccurate statements comes as the president faces ongoing scrutiny for his handling of factual information during public appearances and on social media platforms.
Verify This Yourself
Use these professional tools to fact-check and investigate claims independently
Reverse Image Search
Check if this image has been used elsewhere or in different contexts
Ask Our AI About This Claim
Get instant answers with web-powered AI analysis
Related Fact-Checks
See what other fact-checkers have said about similar claims
Want More Verification Tools?
Access our full suite of professional disinformation monitoring and investigation tools
10 Comments
While I appreciate the administration’s efforts to lower drug prices, the president’s use of patently false statistics undermines the credibility of those efforts. Rigorous fact-checking and data-driven policymaking should be the norm, not the exception.
Agreed. Transparency and accountability are essential for meaningful policy changes that actually benefit consumers. Inaccurate claims only serve to erode public trust.
While I appreciate the administration’s efforts to address important issues like drug pricing, the use of clearly false statistics undermines the credibility of those efforts. Policymaking should be grounded in empirical evidence, not hyperbole or mathematical impossibilities.
Well said. Factual accuracy must be the foundation for any meaningful policy changes. Distorting the facts only serves to erode public trust and hinder progress.
This is a timely reminder that even high-profile officials can make inaccurate or misleading statements. Fact-checking is crucial to maintaining public trust and promoting evidence-based decision-making.
Absolutely. The ability to distinguish truth from falsehood is fundamental to a well-informed citizenry and a functioning democracy.
Factual accuracy is critical, especially when it comes to public policy claims. It’s concerning to see such egregious statistical errors made by the president. I hope there is greater scrutiny and fact-checking going forward to ensure the public is not misled.
I agree, the blatant disregard for basic math is quite troubling. Accountability and transparency are essential for effective governance.
The prevalence of misinformation and distortion of facts is a growing concern. It’s troubling to see such egregious statistical errors from high-level officials. Fact-checking and adherence to empirical evidence should be a priority for all public figures.
Absolutely. Upholding factual integrity is critical for maintaining a well-informed populace and effective governance. Continued vigilance is required to combat the spread of misinformation.