Trump Touts Accomplishments, But Many Claims Are False

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President Donald Trump will deliver the first State of the Union address of his second term on Tuesday. Trump has spent the last year touting his accomplishments while mocking the record of his predecessor, former President Joe Biden. But much of this bluster is based on false and misleading claims — many of which are likely to be a part of the president's address to the nation.

Why it matters

As Trump prepares to deliver a major speech to the nation, it's important for the public to be aware of the president's tendency to make false and misleading statements, particularly on key policy areas like the economy, immigration, and energy. Fact-checking these claims is crucial for ensuring Americans have an accurate understanding of the administration's record.

The details

Trump often says the U.S. is now "the hottest country anywhere in the world" after years as a "dead country." However, the U.S. economy was hardly "dead" when Trump returned to office, and while it has generally performed strongly in his second term, there are signs of slowing growth. The president has also made exaggerated claims about securing $18 trillion in investments, though the White House website cites a much lower figure of $9.6 trillion. On immigration, Trump has falsely claimed that an influx of immigrants has led to a spike in crime, despite studies showing migrants are less likely than native-born Americans to commit violent, drug, and property crimes. And while the president touts coal as "beautiful, clean coal," the fuel still emits planet-warming carbon dioxide and other pollutants.

• In 2024, the last year of Biden's presidency, U.S. gross domestic product grew 2.8%, adjusted for inflation, faster than any wealthy country in the world except Spain.
• GDP shrank for the first time in three years during the first quarter of 2025. Growth rebounded in the second half of the year, but slowed again in the fourth quarter. Annual GDP growth in 2025 was 2.2%.
• A key measure of inflation fell to nearly a five-year low in January 2026.

What’s next

The president's State of the Union address on Tuesday will be closely watched for any additional false or misleading claims, and fact-checkers will be on hand to scrutinize his statements.