Fact Check: President Trump’s White House Address Contains Multiple False Claims

President Donald Trump’s recent prime-time address from the White House contained numerous factual inaccuracies on topics ranging from the economy to immigration policy, many of which have been repeatedly debunked in the past.

In discussing economic achievements, Trump claimed to have secured “a record-breaking $18 trillion of investment into the United States.” This figure significantly inflates actual investment numbers. The White House’s own website listed a lower figure of $9.6 trillion, which itself appears to be a substantial overstatement. A detailed analysis found that these figures include vague investment pledges, statements about bilateral trade rather than actual U.S. investment, and non-binding commitments.

The president also made mathematically impossible claims about prescription drug prices, stating his executive order would cut prices by “as much as 400, 500, and even 600%.” Such reductions are logically impossible, as even reducing prices to zero would represent only a 100% cut.

Despite Trump’s assertion that “inflation is stopped,” official data tells a different story. The year-over-year inflation rate in September stood at 3.0%, identical to the rate when Trump returned to office in January. In fact, September marked the fifth consecutive month of increases in the year-over-year inflation rate.

On foreign policy, Trump’s claim of having “restored American strength, settled eight wars in 10 months” fails to withstand scrutiny. Several conflicts on his list weren’t actual wars, including a diplomatic dispute between Egypt and Ethiopia over a dam project. Others, like the conflict between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, have continued despite Trump-brokered agreements. Fighting between Thailand and Cambodia erupted again recently despite earlier peace efforts.

Trump’s immigration claims were equally problematic. He repeated the assertion that “25 million” migrants entered the country under the Biden administration, a significant exaggeration. Federal data shows under 11 million nationwide “encounters” with migrants during the Biden years, with many being quickly expelled. Even accounting for those who evaded detection (estimated by House Republicans at roughly 2.2 million), the total falls far below Trump’s claims.

The president also made unsubstantiated allegations that foreign countries “emptied their prisons and mental institutions” to send people to the U.S. During previous statements, Trump specifically mentioned Venezuela and “the Congo.” Experts on these regions have found no evidence supporting these claims, and the governments of both Congo countries have explicitly denied these allegations.

Regarding domestic policy, Trump falsely stated that the major bill he signed earlier this year includes “no tax on Social Security.” While the legislation created a temporary $6,000 annual tax deduction for individuals 65 and older (with reduced deductions for those earning $75,000 or more), millions of Social Security recipients will continue paying taxes on their benefits. Additionally, this deduction expires in 2028 and doesn’t apply to Social Security recipients younger than 65.

The string of inaccuracies in the president’s address highlights ongoing concerns about the reliability of information coming from the White House. Fact-checkers continue to monitor presidential statements closely as the administration moves forward with its policy agenda.