Reality-checking Trump’s 2026 State of the Union tackle – NBC New York
President Donald Trump delivered the longest State of the Union tackle in historical past Tuesday evening, touting his administration’s financial insurance policies and immigration enforcement, whereas condemning Democrats and the earlier administration.
Trump additionally made a sequence of exaggerated, deceptive and false claims all through the course of the night on matters starting from the financial system to crime to elections.
This is what the president obtained proper — and improper — in his tackle.
Did Trump elevate thousands and thousands off meals stamps?
“Now we have lifted 2.4 million People — a document — off of meals stamps,” Trump mentioned.
Verdict
This wants context.
Evaluation
Almost 42 million People depend on the Supplemental Diet Help Program, informally referred to as meals stamps.
Round 2.4 million persons are anticipated to lose eligibility for this system due to new work necessities handed in Trump’s One Massive Stunning Invoice, in line with the Middle on Price range Coverage and Priorities, a nonpartisan suppose tank.
However the timeline for ensuring that individuals meet these necessities varies by state, so a number of the cuts haven’t occurred but. And there’s no proposed federal program to complement the lack of meals help.
Below the brand new work necessities, adults ages 55 to 64 and fogeys whose youngest youngsters are at the least 14 years outdated should doc 80 hours monthly of labor, schooling or volunteering to take care of SNAP advantages. With out such documentation, they’re eligible for meals stamps for under three months inside a three-year interval. The legislation additionally eliminates exemptions for veterans and folks experiencing homelessness.
Did the ‘Warrior Dividend’ cash come from tariffs?
“Each service member just lately acquired a Warrior Dividend of $1,776. They put it on my desk. We obtained the cash from tariffs and different issues. Some huge cash we’ve got,” Trump mentioned.
Verdict
The declare that “Warrior Dividend” funds got here from tariffs is fake.
Evaluation
In line with a Pentagon launch in December, the cash to pay 1.28 million active-duty service members and 174,000 reserve members $1,776 every got here from a supplemental housing fund that Congress appropriated as a part of Trump’s huge home spending invoice final summer time.
The funds have been delivered to recipients “as a nontaxable complement to their common month-to-month housing allowance,” the interior Pentagon Information Service reported in December.
As a part of the announcement, Jules W. Hurst III, the appearing comptroller for the Protection Division, mentioned on the time, “We’re grateful to President Trump, Chairman [Roger] Wicker, Chairman [Mike] Rogers and the opposite members of Congress who’ve made this Warrior Dividend doable via the One Massive Stunning Invoice Act.”
Trump says there’s virtually ‘no crime anymore’ in D.C.
“[W]e have virtually no crime anymore in Washington, D.C. How did that occur? In truth, crime in Washington is now on the lowest degree ever recorded, and murders in D.C. this January have been down near 100% from a yr in the past,” Trump mentioned.
Verdict
That is exaggerated.
Evaluation
Crime in Washington has fallen in all however one class in 2026 to this point, in line with information revealed by the Metropolitan Police Division. (Assault with a harmful weapon is the one class that has elevated in 2026.) That information additionally confirmed declines in 2025 from 2024 in all violent crime and property crime classes.
However it’s not correct to say there may be “virtually no crime” in Washington.
Since Jan. 1, there have been 9 homicides, 126 assaults with a harmful weapon and 322 motorcar thefts within the metropolis. 12 months-to-date, homicides are down 67%.
Trump claims different presidents didn’t decrease drug costs
“I’m additionally ending the wildly inflated price of prescribed drugs. Different presidents tried to do it, however they by no means might. They didn’t even come shut,” Trump mentioned.
Verdict
That is false.
Evaluation
In 2022, President Joe Biden signed the Inflation Discount Act, capping insulin at $35 a month for folks on Medicare, inserting a $2,000 annual cap on out-of-pocket drug prices for folks on Medicare and, for the primary time, permitting Medicare to barter the costs of a few of its costliest medicines. On Jan. 1, the primary negotiated costs took impact, together with for the blockbuster blood thinner Eliquis and the most cancers drug Imbruvica. After the legislation capped insulin prices for Medicare sufferers, drugmakers additionally prolonged $35 month-to-month caps to privately insured sufferers.
Against this, Trump has caught voluntary offers with at the least 16 drugmakers in trade for tariff aid. He launched the self-pay platform TrumpRx, which to this point gives money costs on 43 medicines. Most of these offers, nevertheless, don’t change what folks with non-public insurance coverage or Medicare pay on the pharmacy counter. Medicaid sufferers already are likely to pay little or nothing for prescriptions. And lots of the medicine listed on TrumpRx have generic variations that price lower than the marketed costs.
Was inflation at document ranges when Trump assumed workplace?
“The Biden administration and its allies in Congress gave us the worst inflation in historical past of our nation. However in 12 months, my administration has pushed core inflation all the way down to the bottom degree in additional than 5 years, and within the final three months of 2025 it was all the way down to 1.7%,” Trump mentioned.
Verdict
That is false.
Evaluation
Inflation will not be sometimes measured in simply three-month intervals. The buyer-price index, probably the most cited inflation metric, consists of meals and vitality. Whereas vitality costs have been dropping, meals costs have been on the rise during the last yr.
On an annual foundation, inflation when Trump took workplace was 2.9%, which isn’t a document excessive degree.
Inflation fell as little as 2.3% in April earlier than it spiked once more after his sweeping worldwide tariffs have been launched.
Current document inflation was skilled in 2022 when it hit 8.9%. The very best inflation ever skilled occurred within the Eighties, when it reached as excessive as round 14%.
Trump mentioned extra People are working now than ever earlier than
“Extra People are working at this time than at any time within the historical past of our nation.” Trump mentioned.
Verdict
That is true.
Evaluation
The assertion is appropriate, although the labor market’s charge of progress has slowed sharply since Trump took workplace, and 2025 was the worst yr for job creation since 2020. Excluding recessions, 2025 was really the worst yr for job creation since 2003.
A complete of 584,000 jobs have been created final yr, in line with the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s down considerably from greater than 2 million in each 2024 and 2023. In 2022, because the financial system bounced again from the pandemic, greater than 4.5 million jobs have been created. The tempo of job creation can be slower than it was in every of the primary three years of Trump’s first time period.
Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger delivered the Democratic rebuttal to President Trump’s State of the Union tackle, slamming the White Home over price of dwelling issues.
Did Trump safe $18 trillion in investments in U.S.?
“I secured commitments for greater than $18 trillion, pouring in from all around the globe,” Trump mentioned.
Verdict
That is false.
Evaluation
Whereas a lot of corporations, reminiscent of tech companies, semiconductor corporations and pharmaceutical producers, have made public commitments to put money into the U.S., a lot of these commitments are both solely slight will increase from earlier bulletins or according to earlier plans. As well as, the commitments and investments the White Home touted by itself web site whole $9.7 trillion.
A evaluation of the White Home checklist additionally discovered the $9.7 trillion determine to be deceptive. Greater than $2.5 trillion of that’s not investments, Bloomberg Economics discovered in November. About $3.5 trillion of that comes from opaque sovereign pledges, and one other $3.5 trillion is company investments. Of these company investments, $2.9 trillion is deliberate for information facilities.
“Greater than $250 billion of the White Home pledges have been introduced or deliberate earlier than Trump retook workplace in January,” Bloomberg Economics researchers additionally discovered.
Lots of the commitments are additionally over the long run and are prone to be topic to vary. For instance, it just lately took drugmaker Fujifilm Biotechnologies 5 years to open one manufacturing facility in North Carolina.
Did Trump remove taxes on suggestions, time beyond regulation and Social Safety?
“We held robust, and with the Nice Massive Stunning Invoice, we gave you no tax on suggestions, no tax on time beyond regulation and no tax on Social Safety for our nice seniors,” Trump mentioned.
Verdict
This wants context.
Evaluation
It’s true that Trump minimize taxes for seniors and hourly staff with the invoice he signed into legislation final yr, however he didn’t remove all of the taxes he talked about right here. Some staff can now deduct time beyond regulation and suggestions, although there are earnings caps and most deduction limits. Whereas some seniors might pay much less in tax because of a brand new deduction, Social Safety earnings continues to be taxed.
Trump says the homicide charge is the bottom it’s been in 125 years
“Final yr, the homicide charge noticed its single largest decline in recorded historical past. That is the most important decline, consider it, in recorded historical past, the bottom quantity in over 125 years,” Trump mentioned.
Verdict
That is true.
Evaluation
That is true, in line with an evaluation of crime information revealed final month by the Council on Prison Justice, an unbiased, nonpartisan group.
The group’s January evaluation predicted that “when nationwide information for jurisdictions of all sizes is reported by the FBI later this yr, there’s a robust chance” that the murder degree “could be the bottom charge ever recorded in legislation enforcement or public well being information going again to 1900, and would mark the most important single-year share drop within the murder charge on document.”
Nevertheless, it’s necessary to notice that crime didn’t abruptly start falling when Trump returned to workplace in January 2025; it has been declining regularly for years. A number of years of nationwide information present that crime has persistently been falling in cities and cities throughout the U.S.
Trump says the ‘One Massive Stunning Invoice’ was the most important tax minimize in historical past
“Final yr, I urged this Congress to start the mission by passing the most important tax minimize in American historical past, and our Republican majority delivered so superbly,” Trump mentioned.
Verdict
That is false.
Evaluation
Trump is referring on this assertion to his “One Massive Stunning Invoice,” which he signed into legislation in July. The legislation minimize taxes for many individuals and companies whereas additionally considerably reducing an array of federal applications.
Trump’s declare that the legislation represents the most important tax minimize in American historical past, nevertheless, is fake. Whereas the cuts are important, they’re the sixth largest in American historical past, in line with a November evaluation revealed by the nonpartisan Tax Basis.
Trump says 70,000 new development jobs have been added
“Now we have added 70,000 new development jobs in only a very brief time period,” Trump mentioned.
Verdict
That is exaggerated.
Evaluation
From January 2025 to January 2026, 44,000 development jobs have been added, in line with the Bureau of Labor Statistics, far fewer than the 70,000 Trump touted.
Did Biden enable thousands and thousands of migrants, together with murderers, into the U.S.?
“They poured in by the thousands and thousands and thousands and thousands — from prisons, from psychological establishments. There have been murders — 11,888 murders. They got here into our nation. You allowed that to occur,” Trump mentioned, in reference to Biden.
Verdict
This wants context.
Evaluation
It’s true that 10 million folks entered the U.S. illegally underneath the Biden administration, however there’s no proof that thousands and thousands of migrants have been coming from prisons and psychological establishments, as Trump claims.
As for the declare about 11,888 murders, there are greater than 13,000 convicted murderers with out authorized standing who are usually not in ICE custody, however that determine can’t be blamed solely on Biden. It’s not clear when these migrants arrived within the U.S. — they may have entered at any level during the last 4 many years and even earlier, in line with the Division of Homeland Safety. The 13,000 quantity additionally consists of noncitizens in state and federal prisons.
Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota shouted in dissent at President Trump as he urged the Home to ban sanctuary cities.
Trump claims $19 billion in fraud dedicated in Minnesota
“With regards to the corruption that’s plundering, it truly is plundering, America, there’s been no extra beautiful instance than Minnesota, the place members of the Somali group have pillaged an estimated $19 billion {dollars} from the American taxpayer. Now we have all the data, and if truth be told, the quantity is far larger than that,” Trump mentioned.
Verdict
This lacks proof.
Evaluation
The determine far exceeds estimates from the Justice Division, which has to this point charged 98 folks in Minnesota, 85 of whom are Somali, with $1 billion of fraud. The Home Oversight Committee has estimated the fraud “might exceed $9 billion” as investigations proceed.
Federal prosecutors, who started investigating the fraud allegations throughout the Biden administration, have additionally indicated that the overall quantity of federal taxpayer cash that was misused may very well be as a lot as about $9 billion. That quantity stems from a federal prosecutor’s public assertion that estimated that half of the $18 billion in federal funds paid out to 14 applications within the state might have been fraudulent.
Trump says egg and beef costs are declining
“The value of eggs is down 60%,” Trump mentioned. “And even beef, which was very excessive, is beginning to come down considerably.”
Verdict
This wants context.
Evaluation
Egg costs got here down during the last yr — dipping round 48% from January 2025 to January 2026, in line with information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
In the meantime, beef costs maintain hitting all-time highs — with floor beef reaching a recent document at $6.75 per pound final month, up practically 22% from the yr earlier than, in line with the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Has Trump ended 8 wars?
“I ended eight wars,” Trump mentioned.
Verdict
That is exaggerated.
Evaluation
There is no such thing as a consensus about what number of wars or potential wars Trump has ended. And the place peace has prevailed, Trump’s influence as a mediator is up for debate.
Trump has claimed credit score for ending conflicts between Israel and Iran, Egypt and Ethiopia, Thailand and Cambodia, Serbia and Kosovo, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, Armenia and Azerbaijan, and India and Pakistan.
In some circumstances, preventing has resumed after declarations of peace or ceasefires, together with between Thailand and Cambodia and Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. And in different circumstances, there was no taking pictures struggle within the first place, as with Egypt and Ethiopia, however Trump’s envoys sought to defuse tensions that would set off a battle over a dam undertaking.
Trump has claimed that in his first time period, a U.S.-brokered financial secured peace between Serbia and Kosovo. The 2 sides haven’t been in a taking pictures struggle for the reason that Nineties, however deep political tensions persist, regardless of the deal agreed upon throughout Trump’s first time period.
A few of the nations’ leaders have mentioned Trump helped finish the preventing, together with between Israel and Iran, Thailand and Cambodia, Armenia and Azerbaijan, and Pakistan and India. Pakistan has described Trump as having performed an instrumental function in ending a struggle with India. However India’s authorities has denied that the U.S. performed a job in negotiating the ceasefire, saying the preventing ended on account of direct talks between the 2 nations.
Israel and regional consultants have credited Trump with serving to finish a 12-day struggle between Israel and Iran after he ordered airstrikes towards Iran’s nuclear websites. Trump is now threatening one other U.S. air assault on Iran relying on the result of diplomatic talks with Iranian officers Thursday.
Even a few of Trump’s critics have praised his function in serving to dealer a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas within the Gaza Strip, although the ceasefire stays fragile.
Will the SAVE America Act eliminate mail voting?
“I’m asking you to approve the SAVE America Act,” Trump mentioned. “It’s quite simple. All voters should present voter ID. All voters should present proof of citizenship. No extra crooked mail-in ballots, aside from sickness, incapacity, army or journey.”
Verdict
Trump’s feedback about mail-in ballots are false.
Evaluation
The SAVE America Act, which was accepted by the Home however has not handed the Senate, proposes including important new proof of citizenship and voter ID necessities, but it surely wouldn’t remove mail voting.
Trump claims dishonest in elections is ‘rampant’
“Dishonest is rampant in our elections. It’s rampant,” Trump mentioned.
Verdict
That is false.
Evaluation
There is no such thing as a proof of widespread fraud in American elections. The conservative Heritage Basis has collected solely dozens of circumstances of fraud in key swing states amid tens of thousands and thousands of ballots solid over many years.
The proposal would amend the Nationwide Voter Registration Act of 1993 to require particular paperwork exhibiting proof of U.S citizenship for an individual to register to vote in federal elections.
Aria Bendix , Dan De Luce, Kayla Steinberg, Julia Ainsley, Berkeley Lovelace Jr. , Steve Kopack and Christina Wilkie contributed.
