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Fact checking Trump's SOTU speech live: His remarks on Iran, tariffs, ICE, Supreme Court, and more
Donald Trump’s SOTU comes amid record-low approval and voter backlash; CNN says he knows the stakes ahead of the 2026 midterms.
President Donald Trump on Tuesday delivers the annual State of the Union Address at a joint session of the US Congress at the US Capitol. Earlier on Monday, Trump had told reporters that it would be a "long speech" and the address is expected to go on for at least 90 to 120 minutes.
Picking up from a Trump official who told CNN that the President is aware of the "importance of his address" tonight, the President touched on the key talking points from what his administration has achieved in his first year in office.
However, his speech, as usual, is full of claims and allegations that require either fact-checking or further contextualization. Here we are looking at the claims made by Trump and the truth behind them.
Trump SOTU Speech Fact Checked
Trump's SOTU speech begun at 9pm ET from the Capitol Hill.
'$18 trillion in investment'
Trump claimed that the US has brought in $18 trillion in investment from around the world in his second term in his office. However, the actual White House figures state that $9.7 trillion in private and public investment was brought in Trump's first term.
Misleading Fuel Prices
Trump claimed that gas prices in most states in the United States are below $2.30 per gallon. However, as of Tuesday, gas prices in most states are above $2.95 per gallon.
‘Incomes are rising fast’
Trump claimed in his speech that "incomes are rising fast, the roaring economy is roaring like never before.” However, data shows that after-tax incomes, adjusted for inflation, rose just 0.9% in 2025. It is down from 2.2% in 2024. That is the smallest annual gain since 2022, Associated Press reported.
‘Rampant’ Voter Fraud
Trump claimed falsely that the voter fraud is rampant in the United States as he asked lawmakers to pass the SAVE Act. “I’m asking you to approve the Save America Act to stop illegal aliens and other who are unpermitted persons from voting in our sacred American elections," Trump said. “The cheating is rampant in our elections.” However, AP reported that voter fraud is ”extremely rare" in the US.
How Important Is Trump's SOTU Speech
Trump's State of the Union Speech comes at a time when the President's favorability rating is the lowest since he took office in January 2025. Many of Trump's supporters have turned against him over the affordability crisis and the ongoing immigration raids in multiple states.
As the Republican Party prepares for the primary elections ahead of the 2026 midterm, Trump's speech on Tuesday is expected to be a call to action for many. Thus, CNN reported in the wake of the speech that Trump is aware of the stakes and will look to address it in the speech. “The speech is going to be on the offensive because it is Trump,” the advisor.
One White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity, expressed concern that Trump will speak about how he purportedly does not get credit for the work he has done. “I worry that the speech will devolve into complaints about how no one gives him enough credit,” the advisor said.
Notably, the Democratic lawmakers boycotting Trump's speech have planned multiple counterprograms to broadcast with the SOTU speech. Additionally, the Democratic National Committee confirmed that Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger would deliver the Democratic rebuttal to the speech.
This story is being updated.
