During his state of the union address, Donald Trump continued his pattern of making inaccurate statements, exaggerations, and spreading misinformation. Despite efforts from various sources to fact-check and correct his claims, Trump’s behavior remains unchanged.
Trump asserted that inflation was “plummeting” and suggested it was worse under Joe Biden than at any historical point. However, in 1980, U.S. inflation reached 13.5%, almost double the 2022 rate of eight percent. Currently, the overall inflation rate stands at 2.4%, exceeding the Federal Reserve’s two percent target, indicating ongoing price increases in various sectors like food, electricity, natural gas, and housing.
Regarding tariffs, Trump claimed his policies generated “hundreds of billions” in revenue, which is factual. In 2025, the U.S. collected $287 billion from tariffs, nearly tripling previous amounts. However, Trump’s assertion that foreign countries bear the tariff burden is false, with only five percent paid by foreigners according to the Congressional Budget Office.
Trump also touted securing $18 trillion in global investments, a figure lacking substantiation or alignment with current investment data. While the White House mentions $9.7 trillion in investments, the actual commitments and their impact remain uncertain and distant. Real private and foreign investments in the U.S. are significantly lower than Trump’s claimed figure.
Regarding stock market performance, Trump highlighted record highs in U.S. markets, particularly the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500. However, the market’s growth in 2025 lagged compared to other global markets like Canada, Japan, the UK, and South Korea, where stock indices showed stronger gains.
Lastly, Trump’s assertion of ending eight wars is misleading. While he played a role in resolving some conflicts like the Armenia-Azerbaijan and Israel-Hamas disputes, his involvement in ending larger conflicts like India-Pakistan and Egypt-Ethiopia disputes remains disputed or incomplete. Trump’s claim to end ongoing conflicts between Ukraine and Russia also lacks realization, with acknowledged difficulty in achieving resolution.
In conclusion, Trump’s state of the union address featured several misleading or inaccurate claims, underscoring the importance of fact-checking and accountability in public discourse.