Fact-checking Trump's speech to Congress: POTUS' claims on DOGE, Biden, immigration, and more

Donald Trump is currently speaking before a joint session of Congress. Fact-checking his speech live.

President Donald Trump is currently speaking before a joint session of Congress at the Capitol in Washington. Shortly after his speech began, Democrats interrupted, with Rep. Al Green of Texas being removed from the House chamber for repeatedly heckling the president. Trump opened his address by declaring, “America is back."

President Donald Trump addresses a joint session of Congress at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, March 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis) (AP)

Fact-checking Trump's speech live -

1. Trump on inflation under Biden: Trump claimed , “We suffered the worst inflation in 48 years, but perhaps even in the history of our country, they're not sure.” While inflation during Biden's presidency was notably high, it was not the highest. Inflation under Biden hit a peak of around 9% in the summer of 2022. The highest sustained inflation rates, however, occurred in the 1970s and early 1980s, when inflation regularly exceeded 12% to 15%. In 1946, inflation surged above 18% for a single year. Therefore, Trump's claim is partly correct.
2. Trump once again claims ‘migrants are coming from mental institutions’ - Trump once again claimed that other countries have released individuals from their “mental institutions and insane asylums” into the U.S. as migrants. However, there is no evidence to support this claim.
3. $59 Million Spent on “Illegal Alien Hotel Rooms” in New York City? Trump claimed that Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) uncovered that “$59 million was spent for illegal alien hotel rooms in New York City," among other expenditures. While it is true that FEMA allocated $59 million in fiscal year 2024 for housing migrants in NYC, these individuals were not placed in luxury hotels as Trump and Musk claimed. In 2024, the city spent an average of $156 per night per hotel room, which is below the General Services Administration’s allowable rate. The actual amount spent on hotel rooms was $19 million, as per Politifact.
4. Did Trump administration uncover $500 billion in fraud? Trump claimed, “The Government Accountability Office …. has estimated annual fraud of over $500 billion in our nation, and we are working very hard to stop it.” The Government Accountability Office (GAO) last year estimated that fraud could cost the federal government between $233 billion and $521 billion annually. This was based on data from 2018 to 2022. However, this figure refers to a range of potential losses, and there is no indication that the Trump administration specifically uncovered the entire $500 billion amount.
5. Did Biden use his office to “viciously” prosecute Trump? POTUS claimed that former president Joe Biden used his office to “viciously” prosecute him. However, this claim is false. Trump faces two federal indictments brought by special counsel Jack Smith, who was appointed in November 2022 by Attorney General Merrick Garland, a Biden appointee. However, there is no evidence to support the claim that Biden was directly involved in Trump's prosecution.