Trump Makes Multiple False Claims in “60 Minutes” Interview

In a wide-ranging interview with CBS’s “60 Minutes,” President Donald Trump made at least 18 false claims on topics spanning the economy, immigration, and his past record, according to a fact-check of the nearly 90-minute conversation recorded last Friday and aired Sunday.

During his exchange with correspondent Norah O’Donnell, Trump repeated his debunked assertion that the 2020 election was stolen from him, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary. When challenged on economic issues, the former president incorrectly claimed grocery prices are declining, contradicting official data showing they have risen consistently throughout 2024.

“No, you’re wrong. They went up under Biden. Right now they’re going down,” Trump insisted, though Bureau of Labor Statistics figures tell a different story. September data shows grocery prices increased by approximately 0.3% from August and are up about 2.7% since September 2023.

Trump further claimed there is “no inflation” in the U.S. economy, then adjusted to say inflation is “2% or even less than 2%.” Official Consumer Price Index measurements put the current annual inflation rate at 3%, up from about 2.9% in August, with both figures significantly higher than Trump’s claims.

When discussing his economic achievements, Trump falsely stated that “$17 trillion is being invested in the United States right now.” This figure significantly exceeds even the White House’s own inflated claim of $8.9 trillion in investment announcements during his administration. A CNN analysis found the administration has been counting vague pledges from foreign countries and companies that don’t constitute direct investment in the U.S.

On international trade, Trump maintained his incorrect assertion that China and other countries pay the tariffs he imposed on imports. Economic studies, including research from the nonpartisan U.S. International Trade Commission, have consistently shown that American importers—not foreign exporters—pay these tariffs, with costs often passed on to U.S. consumers.

The interview covered several other topics where Trump made demonstrably false statements. He claimed each alleged drug boat entering the U.S. contained “enough poison to kill 250 million Americans,” a figure experts say plainly exaggerates the actual quantities. He incorrectly stated he has pardoned “more Black people than any president in history,” though historical records show no individual president has invoked clemency more than the six occasions documented for President Ulysses S. Grant in the 1800s.

Trump also inaccurately boasted of ending “eight wars,” though his list includes two situations that were not wars and at least one conflict that continues today. He falsely claimed CBS aired an edited interview with his 2024 opponent Kamala Harris “two days” before the election, when it was actually more than four weeks earlier.

The former president made additional false assertions about Ukraine aid, immigration numbers, and his record on various policy matters. He incorrectly stated that the Biden administration provided $350 billion in aid to Ukraine, though the actual figure is well under half that amount. Similarly, he claimed the Biden administration allowed “25 million” migrants into the country, greatly exaggerating the documented numbers.

O’Donnell challenged Trump on several occasions during the interview, which CBS said ran for nearly 90 minutes in total, with about 28 minutes broadcast on television. The network also posted a full transcript online.

This pattern of false statements continues Trump’s approach to factual matters throughout his political career. Independent fact-checkers have documented thousands of false or misleading claims during his presidency and subsequent campaign. The “60 Minutes” interview demonstrates his continued willingness to make inaccurate assertions on matters ranging from economic indicators to his own record, even when presented with contrary evidence.

As the presidential campaign enters its final phase, such mischaracterizations of key policy issues and statistical data remain a significant concern for voters attempting to make informed decisions based on accurate information.