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Trump Makes False Claims in “60 Minutes” Interview on Nuclear Testing, Inflation, and More
President Donald Trump made several false and misleading statements during a lengthy “60 Minutes” interview with correspondent Norah O’Donnell, covering topics from nuclear weapons testing to inflation rates and military actions in the Caribbean.
In defending his recent order for the Pentagon “to start testing our Nuclear Weapons,” Trump claimed that “Russia announced that they were going to be doing a test” and that “other countries are testing. We’re the only country that doesn’t test.” This assertion contradicts international monitoring data.
According to the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization, North Korea is the only nation to conduct nuclear test explosions this century, with its most recent test in 2017. While Russia rescinded its ratification of the test ban treaty in 2023, it has not conducted a nuclear detonation test since 1990, though it has recently tested nuclear-capable cruise missiles and underwater drones.
Energy Secretary Chris Wright clarified that any testing would involve “system tests” rather than nuclear explosions. “These are not nuclear explosions. These are what we call noncritical explosions,” Wright explained on Fox News, adding that the department would be “testing all of the other parts of the nuclear weapon.”
On economic matters, Trump falsely claimed “we don’t have inflation. It’s at 2%.” Official data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows the Consumer Price Index rose 3% year-over-year in September, up from 2.9% in August.
He further misrepresented grocery prices, claiming they’re “going down” when the CPI for “food-at-home” increased 1.4% from January to September 2024, and was up 2.7% compared to September 2023. While egg prices have decreased significantly, experts attribute the previous price spike during Biden’s tenure primarily to avian influenza outbreaks that decimated hen populations.
Trump’s military claims were equally problematic. He stated that “every one of those boats” struck by the U.S. military in the Caribbean Sea “kills 25,000 Americans” with illegal drugs. With nine boat strikes reported, this claim is mathematically impossible considering total U.S. drug overdose deaths were 105,007 in 2023 and declined to 79,383 in 2024, according to CDC data.
The administration has provided limited details about the contents of the struck vessels, which Trump characterized as “loaded up with mostly Fentanyl, and other illegal narcotics.” However, this conflicts with DEA information indicating boats from Venezuela and Colombia typically smuggle cocaine, not fentanyl, which primarily enters the U.S. through Mexico.
Trump also repeated his unsupported claim that Venezuela “emptied their prisons” and “mental institutions” into the United States through illegal immigration. Immigration experts and Venezuelan crime analysts, including Roberto Briceño-León, founder of the Venezuelan Observatory of Violence, have consistently stated there’s no evidence supporting this assertion.
Throughout the interview, Trump recycled several familiar false claims. He exaggerated presidential use of the Insurrection Act, incorrectly suggesting nearly half of presidents have invoked it when it has only been used for 30 crises since 1794, with the most recent instance in 1992.
He maintained his baseless claim that the 2020 election was “rigged” despite his own administration’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency concluding it was “the most secure in American history” with “no evidence that any voting system deleted or lost votes, changed votes, or was in any way compromised.”
When asked about recent indictments of former FBI Director James Comey, former National Security Adviser John Bolton, and New York Attorney General Letitia James, Trump denied instructing the Department of Justice to pursue them. However, on September 20, he had posted on Truth Social calling for prosecution of these individuals, stating, “They’re all guilty as hell… JUSTICE MUST BE SERVED, NOW!!!”
The interview, which CBS News aired in shortened form on November 2 while making the extended version available online, demonstrated Trump’s continued pattern of making claims that conflict with established facts across domestic and international policy areas.
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7 Comments
Interesting claims about nuclear testing from Trump. However, the facts seem to contradict his statements – monitoring data shows only North Korea has conducted nuclear tests this century. Curious to hear more expert analysis on the current state of global nuclear testing.
Hmm, the details around nuclear testing and other security matters seem more complex than Trump’s statements suggest. I’ll be interested to see how experts in the field analyze and respond to his claims.
Given the sensitive nature of nuclear weapons and geopolitics, it’s critical that leaders’ claims are held up against credible evidence. I appreciate the diligence of journalists in fact-checking these types of high-impact statements.
Yes, fact-checking is essential, especially on issues with significant national security implications. Ensuring the public has accurate information is vital.
Trump’s comments on inflation rates and military actions also warrant closer scrutiny. It’s important to rely on objective data and fact-checking rather than unsubstantiated claims, especially on important geopolitical issues.
Agreed. Fact-checking is crucial when it comes to high-stakes policy discussions. I hope journalists continue to rigorously examine the veracity of public officials’ statements.
Trump’s comments raise some red flags. While I respect the office, it’s important to scrutinize claims, particularly around matters of defense and international affairs. Fact-based analysis is key to understanding the true state of affairs.