Donald Trump delivered a 100-minute speech to Congress, but many of his statements contained inaccuracies or misleading information.
Fact-checkers have been reviewing his statements to determine if they align with official data.
Trump latest: ‘America is back,’ US president boasts in Congress
Democrat Melanie Stansbury held up a sign that read ‘This is not normal’. Pic: Reuters
Autism
The president mentioned a significant increase in diagnoses of autism among young people.
Mr Trump stated: “Not too long ago, and you wouldn’t believe these figures, one in 10,000 children had autism. One in 10,000, and now it’s one in 36. Something is not right.”
Sky’s US affiliate network, NBC News, notes that this statistic is frequently cited to oppose vaccines, while the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that this ratio is incorrect.
True, one in 36 children is diagnosed with autism, but estimates indicate it was around one in 150 in 2000.
Scientific research shows that vaccines do not cause autism, with much of the recent increase attributed to heightened awareness of the condition, changes in autism definitions, and improvements in diagnostic technology.
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‘Ukraine is ready for peace’
Ukraine
Later in his speech, Mr Trump asserted that America has contributed more to the war in Ukraine than European nations combined.
While the US is indeed the largest single provider of aid to Ukraine, the total contributions from Europe surpass those of the US.
The Kiel Institute for the World Economy notes the US has provided £94.6bn in total aid, compared to Europe’s £109bn.
It is worth mentioning that not all countries disclose the full extent of aid they provide to Ukraine, making overall calculations complex.
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Trump’s longest speech to Congress – what happened?
Benefits
The president informed Congress that millions of Americans over the age of 100, including some purportedly older than 160, are recipients of Social Security payments.
Mr Trump referred to statistics suggesting over 20 million individuals exceeding life expectancy are receiving payments, including several above 220 years of age.
However, these figures are linked to a known issue with government data – and a 2023 official report confirmed that while these records exist, “almost none” of these individuals are receiving payments.
NBC News notes that inspectors general at the agency have repeatedly highlighted this database problem, but the Social Security Administration claims that updating old records is too costly and unnecessary.
Payments are automatically halted for all individuals older than 115.
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Borders
The president claimed that 21 million individuals “poured into the United States” over the previous four years.
“Among them were murderers, human traffickers, gang members, and other criminals from dangerous cities worldwide because of Joe Biden’s reckless and extremely dangerous open border policies,” Mr Trump asserted.
NBC News reports this is misleading. Data from Customs and Border Protection indicates that the Biden administration managed approximately 14 million “migrant encounters,” out of which around 118,000 involved individuals with criminal backgrounds.
Mr Trump further declared that his administration achieved “the lowest number of illegal border crossings ever recorded.”
Official statistics for January 21 to 31 indicate that US Border Patrol apprehensions indeed decreased by 85% compared to the previous year.
However, it’s the term “ever” that creates an issue for the president. He recently indicated on Truth Social that 8,326 arrests occurred at the US-Mexico border last month, while the Border Patrol’s average monthly apprehensions were 1,752 back in 1961.
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‘Whatever they tariff us, we will tariff them’
Tariffs
Trump also reiterated that his controversial tariffs “are designed to make America prosperous once again.”
He mentioned to Congress: “There might be some minor disturbances, but we can handle that. It won’t be anything significant.”
Most economists disagree, arguing that the tariffs could be harmful to the nation as they essentially act as tax increases, likely causing a rise in the price of everyday goods.
According to The Yale Budget Lab, the newly introduced tariffs on Mexico, Canada, and China could cost American households up to £2,000 (£1,562) annually.
Estimates suggest inflation could rise by a full percentage point, with economic growth decreasing by half a percentage point.
