Trump Repeats False Claims While Reviewing Achievements, AP Fact Check Shows

In his recent campaign appearances, former President Donald Trump has continued to tout what he considers his administration’s key achievements, often repeating claims that have previously been debunked by fact-checkers.

The claims, ranging from border security to economic policy, form a core component of his pitch to voters as he seeks to regain the White House. However, many of these statements contain significant distortions of his record and current realities.

One of Trump’s recurring assertions involves his border wall project, which he presents as a complete success. “I built 571 miles of wall on our southern border,” Trump recently told supporters at a rally in Pennsylvania. While sections of barrier were indeed constructed during his presidency, government records show only about 80 miles represented new barriers where none existed before. The majority of construction involved replacing or reinforcing existing structures.

Immigration and border security remain central to Trump’s platform as he campaigns across battleground states. He frequently claims that the United States had “the most secure border in history” during his administration. Data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, however, shows that while apprehensions decreased during parts of his term, they surged to record levels by the end of his presidency in 2020.

Trump has also maintained his narrative about energy independence, telling supporters, “We achieved energy independence, and for the first time in history, we became a net energy exporter.” Energy market analysts note that while U.S. energy production did increase significantly during his term, the trend toward energy independence began years earlier under the Obama administration, driven largely by the shale revolution that transformed American oil production capabilities.

The former president regularly takes credit for what he describes as “the greatest economy in the history of the world” before the COVID-19 pandemic. Economic indicators tell a more nuanced story. While unemployment reached historic lows during his presidency, GDP growth averaged 2.5% annually before the pandemic – strong but below the rates seen during several previous administrations. Job growth, meanwhile, continued a trend that began in 2010.

On veterans’ healthcare, Trump often highlights his signing of the Veterans Choice program, claiming he accomplished what previous administrations couldn’t. “After 48 years of trying, I got Veterans Choice approved,” he stated at a recent event. This claim misrepresents the program’s history, as Veterans Choice was actually signed into law by President Barack Obama in 2014. Trump did sign the VA MISSION Act in 2018, which expanded and modified the existing program.

His statements about NATO funding represent another regular talking point. Trump insists that he single-handedly compelled NATO allies to increase defense spending by $400 billion. While defense spending by European allies did increase during and after his presidency, NATO officials attribute this to commitments made at the 2014 Wales Summit, which predated Trump’s election.

Tax policy features prominently in Trump’s campaign messaging as well. He frequently describes his 2017 tax cuts as “the largest in American history,” though economic historians point out that several previous tax cuts, including those under Presidents Reagan and Obama, were larger when measured as a percentage of GDP.

The pattern of embellishment extends to his claims about prescription drug prices, manufacturing jobs, and environmental policy. While each contains elements of truth, they consistently overstate his administration’s accomplishments or take credit for trends that began before his presidency.

Political analysts suggest that Trump’s approach reflects a strategic decision to present a narrative of unqualified success to contrast with the Biden administration’s record. While this messaging resonates with his base, independent fact-checkers continue to flag these familiar claims as they reappear in campaign speeches across the country.

As the election season intensifies, voters will need to navigate these competing narratives while assessing both candidates’ actual records in office – a task made more challenging by the persistence of claims that have been repeatedly contested by policy experts, economists, and government data.