Trump’s False Claims Ahead of State of the Union: A Fact Check

President Donald Trump is set to deliver his first State of the Union address of his second term on Tuesday, focusing on key administration priorities including the economy, immigration, crime, energy, and national security.

Throughout his presidency, Trump has frequently touted his accomplishments while criticizing former President Joe Biden’s record. However, many of his claims contain misleading or false information that may appear in his upcoming address to the nation.

On the economy, Trump often describes the United States as “the hottest country anywhere in the world” following what he characterizes as years as a “dead country.” This misrepresents economic reality. The U.S. economy was far from “dead” when Trump returned to office, having grown by 2.8% in 2024 under Biden – faster than nearly all other wealthy nations except Spain.

Trump’s second term has shown mixed economic results. GDP shrank in the first quarter of 2025 before rebounding, but growth slowed again in the fourth quarter, with annual growth reaching 2.2% in 2025. While inflation fell to a nearly five-year low in January, the Federal Reserve’s preferred measurements indicate costs for furniture, clothing, and groceries remain elevated.

The job market has cooled significantly, with employers adding just 181,000 positions in 2025 – the fewest outside a recession since 2002. Economists attribute this slowdown to uncertainty created by tariffs and artificial intelligence, along with companies having already completed substantial post-pandemic hiring.

The president has repeatedly claimed securing up to $18 trillion in investments, a figure that appears significantly exaggerated. The White House website lists a more modest $9.6 trillion, which includes some investment commitments made during the Biden administration. A January study raised serious doubts about whether more than $5 trillion in investment commitments from major trading partners would actually materialize.

On immigration, Trump frequently claims that an influx of immigrants has led to increased crime rates, despite a lack of supporting evidence. FBI statistics do not segregate crimes by immigration status, and studies indicate people living in the U.S. illegally are actually less likely than native-born Americans to be arrested for violent, drug, and property crimes. The president’s references to “300,000 missing migrant children” misrepresent a Department of Homeland Security report that criticized inconsistent monitoring procedures.

Regarding energy policy, Trump consistently promotes coal as “beautiful, clean coal” while dismissing renewable alternatives like wind power. While carbon dioxide emissions from coal have decreased over the past three decades, United Nations research indicates coal production still needs significant reduction to address climate change. Coal burning continues to emit sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides that contribute to acid rain, smog, and respiratory illnesses.

Trump’s claims about wind energy being expensive contradict data from the Energy Information Administration, which identifies onshore wind as one of the cheapest electricity generation sources at around $30 per megawatt hour. The National Audubon Society acknowledges wind turbines pose some risk to birds but considers climate change a more significant threat.

On election integrity, the president continues to falsely claim he won the 2020 election, despite comprehensive evidence confirming Biden’s victory through recounts, audits, and court challenges. Trump’s characterization of his 2024 win as a “landslide” exaggerates his electoral margin of 312-226, especially considering his narrow popular vote victory of 77.3 million votes (49.8%) to Harris’s 75 million (48.32%).

Crime statistics reveal another area of misleading claims. While Trump takes credit for what he describes as the lowest murder rate in 125 years during 2025, the downward trend in violent crime began years earlier during Biden’s presidency. The Council on Criminal Justice reported a 21% decrease in homicide rates from 2024 to 2025 across 35 major cities, continuing reductions that began around 2022 following a pandemic-related surge.

In foreign policy, Trump’s assertion that he has “solved” eight wars significantly overstates his diplomatic impact in conflicts between Israel and Hamas, Israel and Iran, and several other regional disputes, where tensions continue despite mediation efforts.

As the president prepares for his State of the Union address, fact-checkers and journalists remain vigilant about distinguishing between genuine policy achievements and exaggerated or misleading claims.