American Fact-Checking Platform Exposes Trump's Exaggerations in State of the Union Address

SadaNews - In a marathon speech lasting 108 minutes, making it the longest in modern history, US President Donald Trump showcased his administration's achievements during its first year in the State of the Union address, promoting a "historic transformation" to garner support ahead of crucial midterm elections.

However, an investigative report by the independent American platform "PolitiFact" placed this speech under a magnifying glass of "fact-checking," revealing a series of exaggerations regarding economic figures and border policies, at a time when the president's popularity is experiencing a noticeable decline.

The report noted a significant absence of substantial issues in a speech directed at a wide audience during prime television time; Trump ignored the fourth anniversary of the Russia-Ukraine war, which he had previously promised to end, and also avoided discussing the release of government documents related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, despite some of his victims' presence at the address.

Economy... Declining Inflation Accompanied by Exaggerations

On the economic front, data indicates that inflation has indeed decreased modestly during Trump's tenure compared to what was inherited from the Biden administration; however, the report deemed the president's description of inflation as "decreasing sharply" to be an exaggeration, as the annual price increase in January was about 2.4%, which is lower than the rate recorded when he took office.

While wages have risen faster than inflation, and there has been a slight decline in gasoline and car prices, essential sector prices have continued to rise, such as groceries (2%), electricity (6.3%), housing (3.4%), and healthcare.

The report also debunked Trump's claim that gasoline prices have dropped below $2.30 per gallon in most states; data from the American Automobile Association confirms that not a single state has an average price below this figure, despite the overall price decline.

Trump's statements about healthcare were not spared from scrutiny, with the report stating that his claim of reducing drug prices by percentages ranging from "300% to 900%" through the "Trump Rx.gov" site is a "mathematical exaggeration and hype."

The report clarified that a 100% price reduction means the drug is free, and more than that would mean companies are paying patients to take the drug. In reality, these discounts are limited to specific medications (like weight loss and fertility) for patients who pay cash, and do not include those covered by health insurance.

A poll conducted by the Associated Press this month revealed that only 39% of Americans approve of Trump's handling of the economy, while 59% disapprove of his approach.

Immigration and Drugs... Border Security

Regarding his tough policies, Trump boasted about not allowing any undocumented immigrant to enter during the past nine months, and the figures indeed show a sharp decline in crossing attempts, as Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials reported about 10,000 encounters in January 2026, compared to more than 61,000 encounters in January 2025.

This approach has caused disruptions in cities run by Democrats and has led to shootings that resulted in the deaths of American citizens at the hands of immigration agents.

Militarily, Trump claimed his administration has "effectively and completely" stopped drug entry by sea thanks to a "new military campaign."

Although the US administration has bombed about 41 vessels in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific since September 2025 (resulting in the deaths of 152 people), it has not provided evidence that these vessels were carrying drugs.

Drug enforcement experts conclude that the increase or decrease in seizures does not necessarily reflect the amount of drugs successfully entering the United States, but only reflects what has been intercepted, making the claim of a "complete halt" practically impossible.

The "State of the Union" address represents the most prominent annual platform for the US president to showcase achievements and vision, benefiting from high television viewing rates during prime evening hours.

In this speech, Trump kicks off the starting gun for a crucial election season toward Congress in November, attempting to salvage his noticeable decline in popularity in recent polls, which have revealed shaken voter confidence particularly in the areas of economy and immigration.

Source: Al Jazeera