In brief
In his over-hours-long address to Congress, President Trump made numerous claims regarding the US economy, immigration, and government expenditures that are contentious and misleading. BBC Verify has examined these assertions, illuminating inaccuracies in Trump’s characterizations of economic conditions under Biden, inflation figures, and US government spending related to Ukraine.
In his address to Congress, which ran for over an hour and a half, President Donald Trump made a series of claims about the state of the US under his predecessor Joe Biden and the achievements of his early weeks in office. He returned to significant campaign themes, such as illegal immigration, rising prices, and what he termed "appalling waste" in government spending. BBC Verify has investigated the accuracy of some of his prominent claims.Did Trump inherit an economic catastrophe? Trump claimed he inherited an "economic catastrophe" from Biden. This statement is misleading; the US economy was expanding at an annual rate of 2.3% in the last quarter of 2024 under the previous administration, with a total growth of 2.8% that year, according to official data. The International Monetary Fund has also noted that the US growth rate in 2024 surpassed that of any other G7 nation.On inflation, Trump declared, "we suffered the worst inflation in 48 years, but perhaps even in the history of our country." While inflation under Biden peaked at 9.1% in June 2022—the highest seen since 1981—it does not reach back as far as Trump suggested. Furthermore, inflation has exceeded 9% at various points in US history, particularly in the 1940s and 1920s.Did Biden allow egg prices to soar? Trump accused Biden of allowing egg prices to spiral, noting prices were high. This issue is tied to a bird flu outbreak that resulted in significant egg shortages as millions of chickens were culled. The USDA revealed that in January 2023, the average price for a dozen eggs was over $5, a 53% increase from the average for 2024. The Biden administration had earlier allocated more than $800 million to address the situation.Did the Department of Government Efficiency find hundreds of billions in fraud? Trump commended Elon Musk's Doge, claiming it uncovered "hundreds of billions of dollars of fraud" in federal spending. However, no evidence backs this assertion. The Department states it has saved an estimated $105 billion through various methods, but only $18.6 billion can be independently verified.Was February the lowest month ever for border crossings? Trump claimed that "as a result, illegal border crossings last month were by far the lowest ever recorded." This statement holds true, as February 2025 recorded 8,326 encounters at the border—the lowest since tracking began in 2000.Did 21 million migrants enter the U.S. under Biden? Trump alleged that 21 million people entered the US in the past four years, but there is no support for this high number. Migrant encounters at the border under Biden reached around 10 million, but that does not necessarily indicate how many remained in the US.Has the U.S. spent $350 billion on Ukraine? Trump stated, "We've spent perhaps $350 billion… while they [Europe] have spent $100 billion." BBC Verify found no evidence to substantiate Trump's $350 billion claim, with European contributions being higher in combined totals compared to US aid.Overall, the factual examinations conducted reveal discrepancies in Trump's assertions during his address, highlighting the importance of rigorous fact-checking in political discourse. BBC Verify continues to explore additional claims made during the speech.
