President Donald Trump largely avoided false statements in his inaugural address on Monday, relying instead on vague rhetoric, subjective claims and unverified promises of action.
However, his later speeches were filled with falsehoods.
In an unscripted second speech at the US Capitol Visitor Center’s Emancipation Hall, Trump made incorrect claims about elections, immigration and the Capitol riot of January 6, 2021.
He continued with additional false statements during a third speech at Washington’s Capital One Arena and while speaking to reporters in the Oval Office as he signed executive orders.
READ ALSO: Trump reverses key Biden policies with executive orders
Below is a fact check of his statements from Monday:
Economy
Tariffs on China
While speaking in the Oval Office, Trump inaccurately claimed the US had “taken in hundreds of billions of dollars from China” through tariffs implemented during his first term.
In reality, US importers pay the tariffs, not China. Numerous studies have shown that Americans bore most of the tariff costs, with companies often passing these expenses to consumers.
Previous presidents and tariffs on China
Trump falsely claimed that no prior president had imposed tariffs on Chinese imports, stating, “Until I came along, China never paid 10 cents to this country.” Despite this assertion, US importers have always paid the tariffs.
Furthermore, the US has imposed tariffs on Chinese goods since 1789, and President Barack Obama introduced additional tariffs before Trump took office.
Tariffs in the inaugural address
Trump inaccurately described tariffs in his address, saying; “Instead of taxing our citizens to enrich other countries, we will tariff and tax foreign countries to enrich our citizens.”This is incorrect, as US importers, not foreign countries, pay tariffs imposed by the US government.
Inflation rates
Trump falsely claimed the US experienced “record inflation” during Biden’s presidency. While the inflation rate did reach a 40-year high of 9.1% in June 2022, it was far from the all-time high of 23.7% in 1920. By December 2024, inflation had significantly dropped to 2.9%.
Trade with the European Union
Trump repeated an exaggerated claim in the Oval Office that the EU doesn’t accept US farm products, cars, or “almost anything.” While the EU has trade barriers, the US exported over $639 billion in goods and services to the EU in 2023, including $12.3 billion in agricultural products. Moreover, the EU was the second-largest importer of US vehicles in 2022.
Immigration and the Border
Prisons and mental institutions
Trump claimed in his speeches that many migrants arriving during Biden’s presidency had come from foreign prisons and mental institutions. He suggested that countries worldwide were emptying these facilities and sending people to the US.
However, there is no evidence to support this assertion. While it’s possible some migrants had prior connections to such institutions, Trump’s claims remain unsubstantiated.
Research, including the World Prison Population List, shows a rise in the global prison population from October 2021 to April 2024, contradicting Trump’s narrative.
Helen Fair, a researcher at the Institute for Crime & Justice Policy Research, commented; “I do a daily news search on prisons worldwide and have seen no evidence of countries emptying their prisons into the US.”
Venezuela and migration
In one speech, Trump alleged that gang members were taken off the streets of Venezuela and sent to the US, claiming crime in Venezuela dropped because of this practice.
However, experts have found no evidence to validate this assertion.
Border wall construction
Trump exaggerated the extent of his border wall accomplishments, stating he built “571 miles of wall” during his first term. Official records show 458 miles were constructed, including new sections and replacements of existing barriers.
Birthright citizenship
Trump incorrectly claimed the US is “the only country in the world” that grants birthright citizenship.
In reality, about 36 countries, including Canada, Mexico, and most South American nations, have similar policies.
Elections and January 6
Pelosi and January 6
Trump repeated the false claim that former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi rejected his offer to deploy 10,000 National Guard troops to protect the Capitol on January 6, 2021.
Not only is there no evidence this offer was made, but Pelosi also lacked the authority to accept or reject such an offer.
Pelosi’s spokesperson has repeatedly refuted these claims, and footage from January 6 shows Pelosi questioning why the National Guard wasn’t present initially.
Capitol rioters
Trump suggested that many January 6 rioters were “outside agitators” rather than his supporters. This belief is baseless, as the majority of those charged for their involvement in the Capitol attack were Trump supporters.
January 6 committee document
Trump falsely claimed the January 6 committee “destroyed and deleted all the information.” In fact, the committee published an extensive final report, transcripts of interviews, and archived over a million records for preservation.
2020 election rigging
Trump reiterated his disproven claim that the 2020 election was “totally rigged.” He also claimed opponents tried to rig the 2024 election, though there is no evidence supporting these allegations.
California and voter ID laws
Trump suggested he would have won California in 2024 if voter ID laws were stricter. This claim is unsubstantiated, as Trump lost California by over 3 million votes.
Alabama’s margin of victory
Trump claimed he won Alabama by 48 points. Official results show his margin was approximately 30.5 percentage points.
Youth vote
Trump falsely asserted he won the youth vote by 36 points in the 2024 election. Exit polls indicate he lost the youth vote to Kamala Harris across all age groups under 40.
Foreign Affairs
China and the Panama Canal
Trump falsely claimed China controls the Panama Canal. While a Hong Kong-based company operates ports at either end of the canal, the canal itself is run by Panama’s government. The Panama Canal Authority, managed entirely by Panamanians, oversees its operations.
China’s oil imports from Iran
Trump claimed he pressured China into ceasing oil imports from Iran during his presidency. While imports temporarily decreased, they never stopped completely and later increased under Trump’s tenure.
Iran and terror groups
Trump claimed Iran had no money to fund Hamas or Hezbollah during his presidency. While sanctions impacted Iran’s economy, funding for these groups continued.
Spain and BRICS
Trump incorrectly identified Spain as a member of BRICS, an economic bloc comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.
Reported by CNN
