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In his marathon State of the Union address last night, President Donald Trump made several claims about his administration’s achievements that require closer scrutiny. The speech, which set a record as the longest in U.S. history, contained statements on immigration, crime rates, economic indicators, and investment that merit fact-checking.
On immigration, Trump asserted that “in the past nine months, zero illegal aliens have been admitted to the United States.” This statement is technically accurate in a specific context. According to a February 4 Department of Homeland Security press release, Border Patrol has indeed released zero detained migrants into the U.S. for nine consecutive months. However, illegal border crossings continue, with 6,070 apprehensions recorded at the southwest border in January 2026. This represents a significant drop from January 2024, when the Biden administration recorded 124,215 apprehensions.
President Trump’s claim about the murder rate seeing “its single largest decline in recorded history” appears to be supported by preliminary data. The Council on Criminal Justice reported in January that homicide rates decreased by 21 percent from 2024 to 2025 across 35 American cities, representing 922 fewer homicides. When complete national data is compiled, the 2025 homicide rate is projected to fall to approximately 4 deaths per 100,000 people – potentially the lowest level recorded in law enforcement or public health data since 1900.
However, the President’s statement on gasoline prices was inaccurate. Contrary to his claim that gas is “now below $2.30 a gallon in most states and in some places $1.99 a gallon,” no states currently have gas prices at or below $2.30 per gallon for any grade of fuel. Oklahoma comes closest at $2.41. Gas prices have declined during Trump’s presidency, falling from a national average of $3.12 per gallon in February 2025 to $2.91 currently, according to the Energy Information Administration.
Trump’s assertion about mortgage rates and costs also contained inaccuracies. He claimed mortgage rates are “the lowest in four years” and that “the annual cost of a typical new mortgage is down almost $5,000” since his inauguration. In reality, the difference in median annual mortgage payments between January 2025 and December 2025 was $2,160 – less than half his stated figure. Furthermore, the current 30-year fixed-rate mortgage average of 6.01% is higher than the 3.92% rate from four years ago, though it has decreased from 7.04% when Trump took office in January 2025.
The President’s characterization of inheriting “a nation in crisis, with a stagnant economy, inflation at record levels” misrepresents economic conditions at the start of his term. When Trump took office in January 2025, inflation stood at 3.0%, slightly higher than the current rate of 2.4%. While inflation did reach a 40-year high of 9.1% in June 2022, it had declined substantially during Biden’s final years in office and was far from the all-time high of 23.7% recorded in 1920.
On crime in Washington, D.C., Trump’s claim that the city has “almost no crime” and that “murders in DC this January were down close to 100% from a year ago” requires context. While homicides did decrease from 10 in January 2025 to 2 in January 2026, monthly fluctuations are common with low baseline numbers. Metropolitan Police Department data shows crime has declined in most categories in 2026 so far, with more than 1,300 crimes reported in the past month – a reduction of 821 compared to the same period last year, but hardly “almost no crime.”
Finally, Trump’s statement about securing “$18 trillion” in global investment commitments contradicts his own administration’s figures. The White House website listed this figure as $9.7 trillion on the night of his speech. Furthermore, CNN’s detailed review of these figures found significant exaggeration, with the total including vague pledges about bilateral trade and economic exchange rather than direct investment in the United States.
As the President continues to tout his administration’s accomplishments, these fact-checks provide important context for evaluating the accuracy of his claims and the true impact of his policies.
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8 Comments
This fact-check highlights the need for objective analysis, even on high-profile political statements. I appreciate the effort to dig into the details and provide a more holistic perspective.
This fact-check highlights the importance of carefully examining claims, especially around politically charged issues like immigration. I’m curious to see how the administration responds to these findings.
Agreed, nuance and context are key when evaluating policy claims. It will be interesting to follow how this analysis is received and discussed further.
As someone interested in energy and commodities, I’m curious how this administration’s policies may impact industries like mining, oil and gas. Fact-checking statements can help provide a more complete picture.
The decreasing homicide rate is an encouraging statistic, though the overall immigration situation remains complex. I appreciate the effort to provide objective analysis on these sensitive topics.
Interesting to see fact-checking on the President’s claims. It’s important to scrutinize statements, even from the highest office, to get the full picture. Some of the immigration and crime rate details seem nuanced.
While the President’s claims on immigration and crime rates warrant closer scrutiny, the overall thrust of the speech seems focused on economic achievements. I’m interested to see how this fact-check is received.
Agreed, the economic performance claims will likely garner significant attention. Fact-checking across the board is important for providing context and nuance on complex policy issues.