Los Angeles, California – President Donald Trump addressed Congress, making claims about the state of the US under his predecessor Joe Biden and his own achievements since taking office. He delved into topics such as illegal immigration, rising prices, and government spending, echoing key campaign themes. BBC Verify has fact-checked some of Trump’s assertions.
Trump stated that he inherited an “economic catastrophe” from Biden, but official statistics show that the US economy was growing under the previous administration. In terms of inflation, while Trump claimed the country had suffered the worst in 48 years, the peak under Biden was actually in 2022. Trump also blamed Biden for egg prices, linking the increase to a bird flu outbreak in the US.
Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) was praised by Trump for uncovering “hundreds of billions of dollars of fraud” in federal government spending. However, evidence for this figure is lacking, with Doge’s official website only stating $105 billion in estimated savings. Border crossings reached a record low in February 2025, with 8,326 encounters recorded.
Regarding illegal migration, Trump claimed that 21 million people entered the US in the past four years, a figure that is unsubstantiated. Estimates suggest a significantly lower number of illegal immigrants in the country. Trump also mentioned US aid to Ukraine, stating that the US had spent $350 billion, a claim that could not be verified by BBC Verify.
As Trump’s speech is further analyzed by BBC Verify, more claims and statements will be scrutinized to provide a comprehensive fact-check. Additional reporting by Shayan Sardarizadeh and Anthony Reuben will contribute to a thorough examination of the accuracy of Trump’s assertions.