President Trump's Address to Congress Fact-Checked
As President Trump takes the podium before a joint session of Congress tonight, NPR’s team of reporters will be on hand to verify facts and provide context as the address unfolds.
President Trump, speaking six weeks into his second term from the U.S. Capitol, aims to report on his rapid efforts to overhaul government practices and highlight numerous executive orders that have reversed many Biden-era policies. His address will focus on outlining his achievements so far and sharing his future plans for the economy, immigration, and international relations.
Stay tuned here for NPR’s detailed fact-check and analysis as the speech progresses.
Unauthorized Border Crossings
TRUMP: “Within hours of assuming office, I declared a national emergency on our southern border, deploying the military and border patrol to strike back against the invasion of our country. Their efforts have been remarkable. As a result, last month saw the lowest illegal border crossings ever recorded.”
In January, U.S. Customs and Border Protection recorded around 30,000 encounters with migrants trying to cross the U.S. border illegally. February’s numbers have yet to be published, but Reuters recently reported the administration expects only about 8,500 arrests at the U.S.-Mexico border for that month. This could make it the lowest number of crossings since Homeland Security began compiling this data in 2000.
CBP data shows that in 1935 only 11,000 apprehensions occurred nationwide for the entire year. During President Biden’s administration, illegal crossings reached unprecedented levels in 2022, with more than 2.2 million encounters reported. Biden’s final month in office, December 2024, reported approximately 48,000 encounters.
*- Sergio Martinez-Beltrn, Immigration Correspondent
Egg Prices
TRUMP: “Joe Biden allowed egg prices to spiral out of control. We’re working hard to bring them back down.”
While grocery prices have largely stabilized, rising under 2% from January 2024 to January 2025, certain items still give shoppers sticker shock. Eggs have sparked frustration, with prices soaring 53% over the past year. This surge primarily stems from the avian flu, which led to the culling of millions of egg-laying hens. Panic buying, echoing the toilet paper rush in 2020, has worsened shortages, prompting some stores to limit egg sales. Last week, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced a $1 billion initiative to combat avian flu, allocating $500 million for improved farm sanitation. The USDA is also considering hen vaccination and boosting egg imports.
* Scott Horsley, Chief Economics Correspondent
Energy Production
TRUMP: “Under the previous administration, new oil and gas leases plummeted by 95%, pipeline projects slowed, and over 100 power plants were shuttered. We’re reversing this now.”
Trump has made ambitious promises to escalate fossil fuel production, though the U.S. is already at record output for oil and natural gas. Despite the Biden administration’s slowdown in lease auctions and pipeline progress, crude oil production in 2023 reached an unprecedented 12.9 million barrels a day, surpassing the 2019 record. That year was also a banner year for natural gas production in the U.S., mainly fueled by fracking.
Recent years have seen rapid growth in renewable energy from solar and wind, while coal use has further declined.
President Trump opposes wind energy, having signed an order on his return to office that paused federal leases for offshore wind farms and stopped permits for land-based and offshore wind projects.
* Scott Horsley, Chief Economics Correspondent
Inflation
TRUMP: “We experienced the worst inflation in nearly 50 years, possibly in our nation’s history. As president, I am taking action daily to repair this damage and restore affordability.”
Inflation reached 9.1% in 2022, the highest in 40 years, driven by post-pandemic dynamics and Russia’s conflict with Ukraine. Extensive government spending in the U.S. contributed to rising prices by increasing public spending capacity. Even as inflation has eased to 3% by January, prices continue to rise at rates that concern many consumers.
Despite ongoing inflation concerns, workers have seen their paychecks stretch further than before the pandemic. From February 2020 to now, consumer prices increased by 22.8%, while average wages rose by 25.8%. For nearly two years, wage increases have outpaced inflation.
* Scott Horsley, Chief Economics Correspondent
Public Sentiment Polls
TRUMP: “For the first time in recent history, more Americans believe our country is on the right path than not—a record 27-point swing since Election Day.”
For over a decade, more Americans have felt the country is going in the wrong direction. RealClearPolitics poll averages have shown this trend since June 2009, following President Obama’s inauguration.
Despite improving sentiment due to Republican optimism following Trump’s election, most people still feel the country is off course.
According to the latest NPR/PBS News/Marist survey, 54% of respondents believe the country is on the wrong track, while 45% think it is on the right track—an improvement from December, largely reflecting Republican views.
The RealClearPolitics poll average shows 51% wrong direction over 43% right direction, signaling an upward trend but not a positive balance.
* Domenico Montanaro, Senior Political Editor/Correspondent
Energy Production (Repeated)
TRUMP: “The prior administration slashed new oil and gas leases by 95%, halted pipelines, and closed more than 100 power plants. We are reopening these facilities and achieving heights unseen before.”
Trump’s agenda strongly supports increased fossil fuel production, despite the U.S. hitting historic output levels for oil and natural gas. While the Biden administration slowed lease auctions and pipeline development, 2023 saw the nation’s crude oil production peak at 12.9 million barrels daily, setting a new record compared to 2019. The same year marked a milestone for natural gas production, largely thanks to advanced fracking methods.
Modern years have also witnessed rapid advances in renewable energies like solar and wind, even as coal’s role diminished.
Trump has taken a firm stance against wind energy, issuing an order his first day back to pause all federal offshore wind farm leases and halt all related projects.
* Scott Horsley, Chief Economics Correspondent
Climate Policy
TRUMP: “I withdrew from the costly and unfair Paris climate accord, saving us trillions that other nations weren’t contributing.”
Established in 2015, the Paris Agreement aims to curb greenhouse gas emissions to mitigate climate change’s worst effects, like extreme weather and rising sea levels. Countries voluntarily set pollution-reduction targets under the accord, but there are no penalties for not achieving them. It also calls for industrialized nations, including the U.S., to financially support less wealthy nations in adapting to climate changes—although richer countries have fallen short.
* Michael Copley, Climate Correspondent
Gender Definitions
TRUMP: “I issued an executive order establishing the United States government’s official stance that there are only two genders: male and female.”
Indeed, DNA machine codes for two sexes, yet genetic expression can lead to variations, creating individuals who don’t conform to this binary, sometimes resulting in both ovarian and testicular tissues. Known as intersex, they may possess biological traits across genders.
Transgender and nonbinary individuals, whose gender identity differs from birth-assigned sex, often see such policies as discriminatory, eliminating their identities in official records.
* Maria Godoy, Health Correspondent
Trump’s ‘Gold Card’ Announcement
“We are launching the ‘gold card,’ a $5 million opportunity for the world’s top job creators to pursue U.S. citizenship.”
President Trump recently introduced the “gold card,” a pathway intended for elite international applicants to achieve legal permanent residency, viewed as a replacement for the current EB-5 investor visa program.
However, the president alone cannot introduce a new visa; this responsibility is Congress’s. Modifying the EB-5 visa program also requires legislative action.
Currently, the Trump administration has yet to submit a formal proposal or outline how it intends to revise the existing visa or urge Congress towards crafting a new one.
* Ximena Bustillo, DHS and Immigration policy reporter
Tax Cuts and Congress
TRUMP: “This Congress must act to extend the historic tax cuts from my first administration, leading to the greatest economy ever.”
Here, Trump refers to plans for extending previously enacted tax cuts. Congressional Republicans aim to utilize the reconciliation process, enabling them to pass significant legislation with a simple majority, bypassing the possibility of a Senate Democratic filibuster.
Despite Republican control, the Senate and House have yet to align on implementing Trump’s initiatives, having passed divergent budget resolutions. The Senate proposes splitting priorities across two bills, focusing first on border resources and military spending, saving tax discussions for later. Conversely, the House is pushing for a single comprehensive bill, keen to streamline Republican support given its narrow majority.
Reconciliation demands both chambers eventually unify their approaches.
* Barbara Sprunt, Congressional correspondent
Social Security Integrity
TRUMP: “We uncovered shocking incompetence and potential fraud within the Social Security program, vital to our beloved seniors. Alarmingly, government records list millions of century-old members.”
Trump and Elon Musk have repeatedly, but without evidence, asserted high levels of fraud in the Social Security system. Trump highlighted discrepancies alleging 4.7 million individuals aged 100 and above, including extraordinarily high numbers allegedly beyond 150 years old.
A 2023 Social Security Administration Inspector General report found nearly 19 million over-100 SSN holders listed without deaths recorded, although almost none actively receive benefits.
SSA’s interim commissioner, Leland Dudek, has refuted these claims of fraud.
* Shannon Bond, Power and Influence Correspondent
Budget Balance Aim
TRUMP: “Twenty-four years since it was last achieved, I intend to balance the federal budget. We’re going to succeed.”
In recent years, federal debt burgeoned under both President Trump’s first term and President Biden’s tenure, driven largely by pandemic-related deficits. As the economy recovered, pre- and post-pandemic, deficits remained hefty. Soaring debt paired with rising interest has made debt servicing a significant national expenditure, with $881 billion in interest payments in the latest fiscal year—surpassing Medicare and defense spending.
* Scott Horsley, Chief Economics Correspondent
Trump’s First Legal Milestone
TRUMP: “I ushered in my presidency by signing into law a powerful bill demanding the detention of criminal aliens threatening public safety.”
The Laken Riley Act, enacted in January, broadens federal immigration authority to arrest, detain, and deport non-citizens linked to minor thefts, assaults on law enforcement, or violent crimes.
Many crimes are already deportable, and immigration experts argue that immigrants statistically commit fewer crimes than U.S-born citizens. This legislation had bipartisan backing, yet questions linger over the capacity for efficient federal execution due to constrained detention resources.
* Ximena Bustillo, DHS and Immigration Policy Reporter
Tax Relief on Gratuities
TRUMP: “We seek permanent tax cuts across the board, including zero tax on gratuities, overtime, and Social Security benefits for seniors.”
Popular among workers in tip-reliant sectors, like Nevada’s casino industry, this proposal carries drawbacks. Uncompensated tax revenue could exacerbate fiscal deficits, and differentiate tipped workers from others, potentially encouraging income reclassification schemes. Depending on the exemption structure, it might also lead to reduced retirement funds for tipped employees.
* Scott Horsley, Chief Economics Correspondent
Tariffs and Economic Strategy
TRUMP: “Tariffs aren’t just about safeguarding jobs but about revitalizing our nation’s economy.”
Trump advocates tariffs to bolster government revenue, promote local manufacturing, and leverage trade negotiations. He claims foreign companies bear these costs, yet studies find U.S. businesses and consumers shoulder most tariff costs.
If tariffs meaningfully fund the government, shifting from imports to domestic sources could jeopardize revenue. Furthermore, negotiating away tariffs could also impact revenue.
* Scott Horsley, Chief Economics Correspondent
Climate Change Declaration
TRUMP: “I eliminated the farcical Green New Scam.”
Upon re-taking office, Trump signed an executive order “terminating the Green New Deal,” though no concrete Green New Deal policy is enacted in the U.S. It essentially represents a broad legislative umbrella for climate actions promoted by some Democrats and progressive advocates.
The order suspended funding under the Inflation Reduction Act and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act projects, signed by President Biden, which allocated vast resources to environmental protection and clean energy. Republican-led states benefited significantly from this funding. Federal judges have since mandated the unfreeze of these funds.
* Michael Copley, Climate Correspondent
DOGE and Spending Allegations
TRUMP: “We discovered hundreds of billions in fraud, reclaimed these funds, and used them to reduce debt and fight inflation.”
The Department of Government Efficiency frequently claims vast savings from cutting federal workforce, axing contracts, and more. Yet, many of these assertions fall short of scrutiny. For tonight’s speech’s savings quotes, NPR’s investigation finds adjustments have been made, often exaggerating these savings. Line item terminations appear legitimate but rarely see financial “savings” due to costs and full spending.
As for debt statements, by January’s close, the federal spend was $2.4 trillion on $1.6 trillion revenue—totaling an $840 billion deficit.
* Stephen Fowler, NPR Political Reporter covering federal government reformation
Funding Request to Congress
TRUMP: “I’ve urged Congress for funding to eradicate these threats and conduct the largest deportation operation in U.S. history, surpassing even President Eisenhower.”
Trump has held various meetings with Congressional Republicans to discuss his policy path.
Both the Office of Management and Budget and Trump’s border czar have suggested that $175 billion is needed to fund Trump’s border agenda over four years.
The House and Senate must reach a consensus on advancing this work.