Fact Checking President Trump’s Statements on His First Foreign Trip – Fortune
Here's a new U.S. export: President Donald Trump's exaggerations about his record.
In his speech in Saudi Arabia on Sunday during his first foreign trip as president, Trump claimed to have accomplished record spending on the armed forces, even though Congress has yet to pass a budget that reflects his plans and promises. Trump releases a detailed budget proposal Tuesday after having come up only with an outline before, and nothing is achieved until and unless Congress passes something.
Trump often takes credit for accomplishments that have yet to be realized or that were the work of his predecessor, as he did last week when boasting about a Coast Guard icebreaker that the Obama administration started. But it was his first opportunity to do so abroad.
Trump's foreign trip came as something of a break from the storm over the investigation into his 2016 campaign's relationship with Russia. That episode prompted a number of questionable statements by the president and his aides. Here's a review of claims on various matters over the past week:
Trump : "In just a few months, we have created almost a million new jobs ... and made record investments in our military." speech in Riyadh on Sunday
The Facts : He's getting ahead of developments on military spending, with no budget passed. He also not proposing a record increase in military spending as his remarks might imply.
The 10% increase he called for in his March budget outline has been exceeded three times in recent historythe base military budget went up by 14.3%, in 2002, 11.3% in 2003 and 10.9% in 2008, according to the Pentagon. Looked at another way and deeper into history, military spending consumed 43% of the economy in 1944, during World War II, and 15% in 1952, during the Korean War. It was 3.3% in 2015, says the World Bank.
Trump's claim that almost 1 million jobs have been added is in the ballpark, though it's taken more than a "few months" and Barack Obama was president for most of one of them, January.
Job creation has averaged 185,000 a month from January through April. But that is the same pace of hiring as occurred in 2016, when Obama was president, and slower than in 2014 and 2015, when more than 225,000 jobs a month were added, on average.
Trump : "I'm proud to say that under my administration, as you just heard, we will be building the first new heavy icebreakers the United States has seen in over 40 years." Coast Guard Academy speech Wednesday
The Facts : Trump is claiming credit for something that started under his predecessor. Obama's homeland security secretary, Jeh Johnson, spoke about modernization of the Coast Guard fleet and design work on a new heavy polar icebreaker a year ago in a speech to graduating Coast Guard cadets.
Trump , on his decision to fire FBI Director James Comey: "I actually thought when I made that decisionand I also got a very, very strong recommendation, as you know, from the deputy attorney general, Rod Rosenstein." news conference Thursday with his Colombian counterpart, Juan Manuel Santos.
The Facts : The recommendation he cites came after Trump decided to fire Comey, according to Rosenstein and to Trump's own previous statement taking sole ownership of the decision.
In an interview with NBC two days after the May 9 Comey dismissal, Trump said he had been planning to fire Comey for months, and linked it with the FBI's Russia investigation. "In fact when I decided to just do it, I said to myself, I said, 'You know, this Russia thing with Trump and Russia is a made-up story.'"
On Thursday, Rosenstein told senators in a closed-door briefing that he had been informed of Trump's decision to fire Comey before he wrote his memo providing a rationale for that act, said Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill.
Trump : "Even my enemies have said there is no collusion." Thursday news conference
The Facts : Democrats have not absolved Trump on whether his campaign and Russian officials coordinated efforts last year to disadvantage his Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton. Several have said they have not seen evidence of collusion, but that's not to say they are satisfied it did not happen.
Trump has cited James Clapper, the director of national intelligence until Trump took office Jan. 20, among others, as being "convinced" there was no collusion.
Clapper said this past week that while a report he issued in January did not uncover collusion, he did not know at the time that the FBI was digging deeply into "potential political collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russians" and he was unaware of what the bureau might have found. The FBI inquiry continues, as do congressional investigations and, now, one by the special counsel.
Trump : "Obamacare is collapsing. It's dead. It's gone. There's nothing to compare anything to because we don't have health care in this country. You just look at what's happening. Aetna just pulled out. Other insurance companies are pulling out. We don't have health care. Obamacare is a fallacy. It's gone." Thursday news conference
The Facts : He's venting and not to be taken literally. Obama's health care law remains in effect and people are using it. As of last count 12.2 million signed up for private health plans through HealthCare.gov and state markets that offer federally subsidized coverage. Separately another estimated 12 million were made eligible for Medicaid through the law's expansion of that program. It's true that many people who buy their own health insurance are facing another year of big premium increases and shrinking choices.
Trump worked with House Republicans to pass a bill that would roll back much of the health law and the Senate is considering the legislation.
Trump , speaking of the MS-13 gang presence in the U.S.: "A horrible, horrible large group of gangs that have been let into our country over a fairly short period of time. ... They've literally taken over towns and cities of the United States." Thursday news conference.
The Facts : His depiction of the gang as a foreign one "let into" the U.S. is not accurate.
The gang actually began in Los Angeles, according to a fact sheet from Trump's own Justice Department, and "spread quickly across the country." And it started not recently, but in the 1980s, according to that same fact sheet.
The department indirectly credits the Obama administration, in its early years, with helping to rein in the group, largely made up of first-generation Salvadoran-Americans and Salvadoran nationals. It said: "Through the combined efforts of federal, state and local law enforcement, great progress was made diminishing or severely (disrupting) the gang within certain targeted areas of the U.S. by 2009 and 2010."
The U.S. carried out record deportations during the Obama administration and, on MS-13 specifically, took the unprecedented action of labeling the street gang a transnational criminal organization and announcing a freeze on its U.S. assets. Such actions were not enough to bring down the group and the Trump administration says it will do more.
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin: "I believe that a goal of 3% GDP or higher economic growth is achievable if we make historic reforms to both taxes and regulation." Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee hearing Thursday
The Facts : Several quarters or a year of 3% growth may be possible, but few economists expect the changes Mnuchin has proposed would result in sustained growth at that pace. That's because the U.S. economy is facing long-term constraints. As baby boomers retire, fewer people are working. As well, workers' productivity is growing at historically weak levels. An economy can only grow as fast as the size and productivity of its workforce. If Trump's policies reduce immigration, the U.S. workforce would grow even more slowly.
Trump's goal of cutting corporate taxes could encourage companies to spend more on computers and machinery, making employees more productive, accelerating growth and lifting wages. Liberal economists argue that corporate profits are already high and any tax cut probably would go to shareholders instead of equipment.
Trump : "I won't talk about how much I saved you on the F-35 fighter jet. I won't even talk about it." Coast Guard Academy speech
The Facts : He shouldn't. Trump has repeatedly taken credit for cost savings that began before his presidency on this jet. Pentagon officials took steps before the election to reduce costs on the Lockheed ( lmt ) contract and announced savings Dec. 19, a month before Trump was sworn in.
Nikki Haley , ambassador to the U.N.: "I believe the Western Wall is part of Israel and I think that that is how, you know, we've always seen it and that's how we should pursue it ... we've always thought the Western Wall was part of Israel." interview on Christian Broadcasting Network on Wednesday
The Facts : That's a misstatement of U.S. policy and diplomatic history. The wall is in the Old City, a part of east Jerusalem, which the U.S. and most of the world consider to be occupied territory. So the U.S. position is that the wall is part of Jerusalem, not specifically Israel. Since Israel's founding, the U.S. has maintained that no state has sovereignty over Jerusalem and its ultimate status must be resolved through Israeli-Palestinian negotiations. That stance has not changed.
In addition to misstating U.S. policy, Haley stepped outside diplomatic norms in asserting a personal view at variance with that policythat the Western Wall is or should be considered part of Israel.
Read more:
Fact Checking President Trump's Statements on His First Foreign Trip - Fortune
- Donald Trump is throttling Americas oil industry - The Economist - May 11th, 2025 [May 11th, 2025]
- Donald Trump prizes more Gulf investment in the US - BBC - May 11th, 2025 [May 11th, 2025]
- Donald Trump Vows to Reduce Prescription Drug Costs by Up to 80 Percent - Newsweek - May 11th, 2025 [May 11th, 2025]
- What is habeas corpus and why might Donald Trump want to suspend it? - BBC - May 11th, 2025 [May 11th, 2025]
- Donald Trump calls for 20,000 new officers to aid with deportations - BBC - May 11th, 2025 [May 11th, 2025]
- Donald Trump is a bigger threat to UK than terrorists, poll says - politico.eu - May 8th, 2025 [May 8th, 2025]
- Donald Trump to announce 'major trade deal' with a big and highly respected nation - Times of India - May 8th, 2025 [May 8th, 2025]
- Donald Trump picks the wrong trade fight with China - The Economist - April 30th, 2025 [April 30th, 2025]
- Donald Trump says he will be talking to Australias prime minister about tariffs - The Guardian - April 30th, 2025 [April 30th, 2025]
- Donald Trump Names His Dream Successor for Pope Francis Ahead of the Papal Conclave - People.com - April 30th, 2025 [April 30th, 2025]
- Giants say they had no conversations with Donald Trump about Saquon Barkley - NBC Sports - April 30th, 2025 [April 30th, 2025]
- Donald Trump is proving disastrous for big tech - The Economist - April 30th, 2025 [April 30th, 2025]
- Opinion | Donald Trump Is Selling the White House to the Highest Bidder - The New York Times - April 27th, 2025 [April 27th, 2025]
- 'Kicking butt' or 'going too fast'? Donald Trump voters reflect on 100 days - BBC - April 27th, 2025 [April 27th, 2025]
- Donald Trump's approval rating takes a hit as he reaches 100 days: New polls - USA Today - April 27th, 2025 [April 27th, 2025]
- Experts On Russia Say Donald Trump Is Wrong About The War In Ukraine - Forbes - April 27th, 2025 [April 27th, 2025]
- Donald Trump went after one of America's top law firms. Its decision to fight back took just two hours. - Business Insider - April 27th, 2025 [April 27th, 2025]
- Sweeping change. Donald Trump voters reflect on controversial first 100 days of second term. - Chicago Tribune - April 27th, 2025 [April 27th, 2025]
- Donald Trump wants celebrities to kiss the ring. Bill Maher did: wholl be next? | Emma Brockes - The Guardian - April 25th, 2025 [April 25th, 2025]
- Donald Trump's trip to Pope Francis' funeral puts a sharper focus on their clashes over the years - AP News - April 25th, 2025 [April 25th, 2025]
- Donald Trump Is Tanking One of Americas Greatest Exports in the Middle of a Trade War - Slate - April 25th, 2025 [April 25th, 2025]
- 'Reality bites Donald Trump in the you know where': China contradicts the White House over tariffs - MSNBC News - April 25th, 2025 [April 25th, 2025]
- Donald Trump's "Objectively Embarrassing And Hilarious" Message To Vladimir Putin Is Now A Meme - Yahoo - April 25th, 2025 [April 25th, 2025]
- The Nobel is just the start: 16 imagined victories for Donald Trump | Ariel Dorfman - The Guardian - April 21st, 2025 [April 21st, 2025]
- Is Donald Trump Breaking the Law? Seven Experts Weigh In. - The Free Press - April 21st, 2025 [April 21st, 2025]
- JD Vance: Donald Trump's Global 'Bad Cop' In His First 100 Days In Office - NDTV - April 21st, 2025 [April 21st, 2025]
- What is the Insurrection Act? What To Know as Donald Trump Deadline Hits - Newsweek - April 21st, 2025 [April 21st, 2025]
- Vince Vaughn Visits Donald Trump and The White House Shares Wedding Crashers Parody Poster - Variety - April 21st, 2025 [April 21st, 2025]
- President Donald Trump Is Saving Social Security Hundreds of Millions of Dollars per Year. But Is It Enough to Prevent Benefit Cuts? - Yahoo Finance - April 21st, 2025 [April 21st, 2025]
- We knew Donald Trump is bad at business. Now the world does, too. | Sheneman cartoon - NJ.com - April 14th, 2025 [April 14th, 2025]
- Donald Trump is now badly wounded. Europe and the UK can seize an advantage - The Guardian - April 12th, 2025 [April 12th, 2025]
- Bill Maher Says Donald Trump Was Gracious and Willing to Listen During White House Visit - hollywoodreporter.com - April 12th, 2025 [April 12th, 2025]
- Bill Maher Recounts Surprising Meeting With Gracious and Measured Donald Trump - TV Insider - April 12th, 2025 [April 12th, 2025]
- Bill Maher's full monologue on his Donald Trump meeting: Read the transcript - USA Today - April 12th, 2025 [April 12th, 2025]
- Donald Trump's tariffs on China, EU and more, at a glance - BBC - April 12th, 2025 [April 12th, 2025]
- Donald Trump Says 'Market Is Going To Boom,' Claiming '$6-7 Trillion' Worth Of Inflows Will Come After The Worst Selloff Since 2020 - Yahoo Finance - April 5th, 2025 [April 5th, 2025]
- Live updates: 'Hands Off!' protesters rally against Donald Trump, Elon Musk - The Hill - April 5th, 2025 [April 5th, 2025]
- Donald Trump's Tariff Formula 'Based on an Error'Conservative Think Tank - Newsweek - April 5th, 2025 [April 5th, 2025]
- The ridiculous real story behind the tariff plan that turned Donald Trump into a global disaster - MSNBC News - April 5th, 2025 [April 5th, 2025]
- "Hang Tough, It Won't Be Easy": Donald Trump To Americans Amid Tariff War - NDTV - April 5th, 2025 [April 5th, 2025]
- This Economic Paradox Nearly Took Down Three Presidents. Is Donald Trump Next? - Politico - April 5th, 2025 [April 5th, 2025]
- Donald Trump says he is very angry with Vladimir Putin over Ukraine - The Guardian US - March 30th, 2025 [March 30th, 2025]
- Donald Trump: Is Irish America moving towards the Republican Party? - BBC.com - March 30th, 2025 [March 30th, 2025]
- Globalisation will triumph over Donald Trump - Financial Times - March 30th, 2025 [March 30th, 2025]
- Donald Trump's Approval Rating Over Economy Plunges to New Low - Newsweek - March 28th, 2025 [March 28th, 2025]
- Called a 'scab' during the campaign, Donald Trump wins UAW backing on tariffs - Detroit Free Press - March 28th, 2025 [March 28th, 2025]
- Donald Trump is moving fast and breaking things, but that may result in a better US | Simon Jenkins - The Guardian - March 28th, 2025 [March 28th, 2025]
- Donald Trump Has Invented Something New and Chilling - Yahoo - March 28th, 2025 [March 28th, 2025]
- Column: Thank you, Donald Trump, for giving me my dad back - - The Daily Tar Heel - March 26th, 2025 [March 26th, 2025]
- Donald Trump's Approval Rating Is Negative With Nearly Every Pollster - Newsweek - March 26th, 2025 [March 26th, 2025]
- Andrii Smytsniuk | Condolences to Kyiv: Ukraine, King Solomon, and Donald Trump - The Daily Pennsylvanian - March 26th, 2025 [March 26th, 2025]
- Whoopi Goldberg has chilling warning about Donald Trump on The View - PennLive - March 26th, 2025 [March 26th, 2025]
- Donald Trump threatens US tariffs on countries buying Venezuelan oil - BBC.com - March 25th, 2025 [March 25th, 2025]
- Donald Trump Calls George Clooney a Second Rate Movie Star After Clooney Calls Out the Government for Trying to Make Journalists Smaller: They Dont... - March 25th, 2025 [March 25th, 2025]
- People Can't Help But Giggle Over This Portrait Of Donald Trump That He Desperately Wants Removed From The Colorado State Capitol - Yahoo... - March 25th, 2025 [March 25th, 2025]
- Donald Trump will soon mark 100 days in power - where does his opposition stand? - Sky News - March 22nd, 2025 [March 22nd, 2025]
- Putin said he prayed for his friend Donald Trump after 2024 assassination attempt, U.S. envoy says - NBC News - March 22nd, 2025 [March 22nd, 2025]
- Donald Trump and John Roberts: A president, a chief justice and a judiciary under pressure - Reuters - March 22nd, 2025 [March 22nd, 2025]
- Prediction: President Donald Trump Is Going to Break His Social Security Promise, and These 16 Words Prove It - The Motley Fool - March 22nd, 2025 [March 22nd, 2025]
- Full List of Names Donald Trump Has Stripped of Security Clearance - Newsweek - March 22nd, 2025 [March 22nd, 2025]
- Social Security: What Donald Trump And Elon Musk Are Doing About Entitlement Program - Forbes - March 13th, 2025 [March 13th, 2025]
- Why John Mearsheimer Thinks Donald Trump Is Right on Ukraine - The New Yorker - March 13th, 2025 [March 13th, 2025]
- What the U.S. ceasefire proposal means for Ukraine, Russia, Europe and Donald Trump - The Conversation Indonesia - March 13th, 2025 [March 13th, 2025]
- Well, It Looks Like We Know What Donald Trump Will Do About Daylight Saving Time Now - Yahoo - March 7th, 2025 [March 7th, 2025]
- Jimmy Carter Reminds Us of Political Integrity; Donald Trump and Corporate America Remain Committed to Darkness - Progressive.org - March 7th, 2025 [March 7th, 2025]
- Donald Trump Supporters Are Waking Up To The Reality Of Their Ballot Choices, And The Stories Are A Loooooot - Yahoo - February 20th, 2025 [February 20th, 2025]
- It took Donald Trump less than a decade to turn the US toward Putins Russia - CNN - February 20th, 2025 [February 20th, 2025]
- Are We Still Friends?: How Donald Trump Is Unraveling the Western Alliance - Vanity Fair - February 20th, 2025 [February 20th, 2025]
- Prediction: President Donald Trump Will Break His Social Security Promise and Propose Cuts -- Just Not in the Way You Might Think - The Motley Fool - February 16th, 2025 [February 16th, 2025]
- It Pays to Be a Friend of Donald Trump - The FP - February 16th, 2025 [February 16th, 2025]
- Donald Trump's 'Drastic' Funding Cuts Face Republican Opposition - Newsweek - February 16th, 2025 [February 16th, 2025]
- President Donald Trump Hangs His Framed Mugshot Outside the Oval Office - E! Online - E! NEWS - February 16th, 2025 [February 16th, 2025]
- Donald Trump wants states and cities to do as they are told - The Economist - February 16th, 2025 [February 16th, 2025]
- Donald Trump Wants Reciprocity in Trade: Heres a Closer Look - Council on Foreign Relations - February 16th, 2025 [February 16th, 2025]
- Interview with President Donald Trump airing ahead of Super Bowl 59: How to watch - USA TODAY - February 9th, 2025 [February 9th, 2025]
- Donald Trump set to make history at the Super Bowl. Heres why hell hate kick-off. - MLive.com - February 9th, 2025 [February 9th, 2025]
- Donald Trump golfs with Tiger Woods ahead of expected Super Bowl LIX visit - New York Post - February 9th, 2025 [February 9th, 2025]
- The Observer view: Vengeful and reckless, Donald Trump must not go unchallenged | Observer editorial - The Guardian - February 9th, 2025 [February 9th, 2025]
- Donald Trump will be at Super Bowl LIX, and he is not happy with the rules - PennLive - February 9th, 2025 [February 9th, 2025]
- Why Chip Roy is one of Donald Trump's biggest threats - POLITICO - January 24th, 2025 [January 24th, 2025]